An Accurate Fact Check of ABC’s Disgraceful Debate Moderation

Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2024
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by Matt Kane
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So far, the 2024 election cycle can be summed up by one mantra: expect the unexpected. Indictments, a coup, and even an assassination attempt have made this era of American politics unprecedented. However, one moment unfolded exactly as expected—the bias displayed by ABC News during the debate between President Trump and Kamala Harris.

President Trump frequently lambasted ABC as the least fair network in the lead-up to the debate, having been embroiled in a defamation lawsuit with the network, and specifically with host George Stephanopoulos, since March. Prior to the debate, the network gave Kamala Harris positive coverage an almost unbelievable 100% of the time. Conversely, Trump received negative coverage 93% of the time.

It was no surprise, then, that the so-called fact-checking during the debate was equally imbalanced. ABC moderators scrutinized numerous insignificant statements from President Trump while neglecting to challenge Kamala Harris on any of her many debunked claims. Since ABC evidently has no interest in salvaging its reputation, preferring instead to discard journalistic integrity in favor of propaganda, let this serve as the official fact-check for Kamala Harris and the moderators.

ECONOMY

Kamala Claim: “I am the only person on this stage who has a plan on lifting up the middle class and working people of America. His plan is to…provide a tax cut for billionaires and big corporations.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump has pledged to implement “large tax cuts for workers and NO TAX ON TIPS” to bolster the economy by putting more money in the pockets of “average Americans.”

Unemployment

Kamala Claim: “Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression.”

Fact Check: False

At the time of President Trump’s departure from office in January 2021, the unemployment rate was 6.4% and trending downward due to the recovery of jobs lost during COVID. Since the Great Depression, many months have seen unemployment greater than 6.4%, including every single month from October 2008 through March 2014.

Attack on Democracy

Kamala Claim: “Donald Trump left us the worst attack (January 6th) on our democracy since the Civil War.”

Fact Check: False

Since the Civil War, the United States has suffered multiple attacks resulting in far more deaths than the events of January 6th. Notable examples include the attack on Pearl Harbor, which claimed 2,403 lives on December 7th, 1941, and the Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people on April 19th, 1995. However, none were more devastating than the attacks on September 11th, 2001, which claimed nearly 3,000 American lives that day, including 343 members of the FDNY, 37 members of the NYPD, and 23 Port Authority police officers. Ironically, Kamala’s erroneous claim came on the eve of the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

Project 2025

Kamala Claim: “What you’re going to hear tonight is a detailed, and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former President plans on implementing if he were elected again.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump has repeatedly stated that he has no involvement with the conservative think tank known as Project 2025.

CHINA

Kamala Claim: “He sold American chips to China to help them improve and modernize their military.”

Fact Check: False

The Trump administration placed restrictions on selling semiconductor chips to China in May 2019, specifically targeting Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company.

ABORTION

Kamala Claim: “Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term suffering from a miscarriage being denied care in an emergency room because health care providers are afraid they might go to jail.”

Fact Check: False

No U.S. state has laws that would deny lifesaving treatment to women suffering from a miscarriage.

Kamala Claim: “If Donald Trump were elected, he would sign a national abortion ban.”

President Trump has repeatedly stated that he would not sign a federal abortion ban, as the issue has been returned to the states following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Moderator Linsey Davis Claim: “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it is born.”

Fact Check: False

In 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that legalized abortions up to birth. The bill also removed section 4164 of New York’s public health law, which had mandated medical care for any baby born alive during an abortion. Under these new provisions, babies can legally be left to die, or in other words, killed. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, now Kamala Harris’s VP choice, implemented the same provision in the North Star State. In other states, such as Virginia, former Governor Ralph Northam stated that infants who survive an abortion “would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired.”

False Trump Quotes

Kamala Claim: “He has openly said he would terminate the Constitution of the United States.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump has not stated that he would terminate the U.S. Constitution if reelected.

Kamala Claim: “He would weaponize his Department of Justice against his political enemies.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump has never indicated that he intends to weaponize his DOJ against political enemies. However, it is worth noting the numerous ties between the Biden-Harris administration and those prosecuting President Trump.

Kamala Claim: “He has expressed disdain for members of our military.”

Fact Check: False

The “suckers and losers” hoax was debunked long ago, even by Trump foe, John Bolton.

Kamala Claim: “Let’s remember Charlottesville, where the President at the time said there were fine people on both sides (regarding White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis).”

Fact Check: False

Even the left-wing fact checking website snopes has debunked the “Very fine people” hoax.

Kamala Claim: “Donald Trump the candidate has said in this election there will be a bloodbath if the outcome of this election is not in his liking.”

Fact Check: False

Trump’s words regarding a “bloodbath” were taken out of context. He was metaphorically referring to the economic state of the United States if Kamala wins, not a literal bloodbath among the people, as Kamala portrays. Once again, Snopes clarified this.

Kamala Claim: “He wants to be a dictator on day one according to himself.”

Fact Check: False

The “dictator on day one” comment refers to a sarcastic remark made by President Trump during a town hall, where he was emphasizing how unwavering and adamant he is about closing the southern border and increasing domestic oil production.

ENERGY

Kamala Claim: “I made it very clear back in 2020, I will not ban fracking.”

Fact Check: False

During a 2019 town hall with CNN, Kamala Harris stated, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”

Kamala Claim: “We (the Biden Administration) have had the largest increase in domestic oil production in history.

Fact Check: False

President Trump’s administration inherited 8.9 million barrels of oil produced per day and increased it to a high of 13 million barrels per day. The Biden-Harris administration took office with 11 million barrels being produced per day and has only increased the amount to 12 million barrels.

January 6th

Kamala Claim: “Trump incited a violent mob to attack our nation’s capitol.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump told his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make their voices heard” in regard to their protest of the 2020 election.

2020 ELECTION

Moderator David Muir Claim: “60 cases in front of many judges, many of them republican said there was no widespread fraud.”

Fact Check: False

None of Trump’s election disputes were ever allowed to be fully presented in court. Instead, as President Trump mentioned during the debate, most were dismissed on the grounds of standing, meaning his claims of election fraud were never litigated, let alone disproven.

Kamala Claim: “He attempts to upend the will of the voters in a free and fair election.”

Fact Check: False

President Trump did not attempt to upend the will of the voters. Instead, he voiced the concerns shared by millions of Americans about the integrity of the election and pursued all legal and constitutional avenues to dispute the questionable results.

FOREIGN POLICY

Kamala Claim: “Donald Trump is weak and wrong on national security and foreign policy.”

Fact Check: False

During his first term in office, President Trump brokered numerous peace deals, most notably the historic Abraham Accords, and successfully pushed other NATO countries to start paying their fair share in defense spending.

Kamala Claim: “Dictators and autocrats are rooting for Trump to be president again.”

Fact Check: False

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

Matt Kane graduated from Stony Brook University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. His work has been posted by President Trump and published by Real Clear Politics, The Gateway Pundit, Human Events, American Thinker, and AMAC. Follow on X/Twitter: @MattKaneUSA, Truth Social: @MattKane

URL : https://amac.us/newsline/elections/an-accurate-fact-check-of-abcs-disgraceful-debate-moderation/