During the ABC debate, the moderators actively scrutinized and corrected Trump's unfounded assertions in real-time.
The choice to fact-check the contestants live during this significant broadcast marked a shift from previous debates and contrasted with the opening presidential encounter of the 2024 series, organized by CNN and moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. During the June debate, the moderators failed to correct false statements made by Trump and President Biden. As an alternative, the network provided a fact-check online and on television following the show.
Before the debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, ABC News did not guarantee live fact-checking, but the anchors intervened to debunk at least three inaccurate statements made by Trump.
Approximately 20 minutes into the debate, the former president stated that Democrats advocated for late-term abortions or supported "executing" babies "after birth," advancing a notorious and frequently repeated false claim. Gov. Tim Walz, Harris's vice presidential pick, reportedly stated "execution after birth is OK," Trump falsely claimed.
Moderator Linsey Davis immediately corrected the record on the abortion issue. "There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it's born," she stated.
Later in the debate, Trump repeated a debunked claim that migrants in Ohio were killing and eating pets. "In Springfield, they're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame," Trump said.
Moderator John Muir swiftly corrected Trump on the claim. "I just want to clarify here. You bring up Springfield, Ohio. ABC News did reach out to the city manager there. He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community," Muir said.
"I've seen people on television," Trump argued. "The people on television say my dog was taken, and used for food. So maybe he said that, and maybe that's a good thing to say for a city manager," Trump said.
"I'm not taking this from television. I'm taking this from the city manager," Muir responded.
"People are on television saying the dog was eaten by the people that went there," Trump said.
"Again, the Springfield city manager says there's no evidence of that," Muir replied.
ABC's moderators also used subtle methods to establish the truth. Later in the debate, Muir asked Trump about a recent comment in which he appeared to acknowledge losing the 2020 presidential election to Biden by a "whisker."
"Are you now acknowledging that you lost in 2020?" Muir asked.
"That was said sarcastically," he said. "I don't acknowledge that at all."
Muir then turned to Harris, saying "you heard the president there tonight. He said he didn't say that he lost by a 'whisker.' So, he still believes he did not lose the election that was won by President Biden and yourself."
Following the debate, CNN's Daniel Dale reported that Trump made at least 33 false claims during the debate, compared to one from Harris.
"This was a staggeringly dishonest debate performance from Trump. Just lie after lie on subject after subject," Dale said.
During previous debates, moderators have faced challenges in finding a balance between fact-checking and allowing the candidates to respond or stay on track with their answers. In 2012, CNN anchor Candy Crowley drew criticism from conservatives when she fact-checked Mitt Romney during a debate with former President Barack Obama.
By 2020, the two general election moderators, Chris Wallace, then with Fox News, and NBC's Kristen Welker, primarily stayed out of the fact-checking way.
CNN political director David Chalian told The Washington Post ahead of the network's debate in June that the stage "is not the ideal venue for a live fact-checking exercise." The moderators' role, he said, was "to plainly facilitate and moderate a debate ... not to be a participant."
ABC's decision to live fact-check Trump from the stage received backlash from his supporters and right-wing media, who argued that the moderators ignored Harris' inaccuracies.
"Weird how the hack moderators at @abcnews are only 'Fact checking' Trump and allowing Kamala to lie nonstop. The Fake News is the enemy of the people!" Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., wrote on Twitter.
"MORE FACT CHECKING FROM ABC - THIS IS THE WORST ANCHOR PILE-ON I HAVE EVER SEEN. 3 against 1," Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News and NBC host turned conservative podcaster, wrote on Twitter.
In the realm of media, fact-checking during debates has become a controversial topic. Critics argue that CNN's decision to fact-check contestants live during debates contrasts with traditional approaches, as seen in the 2020 general election debates moderated by Chris Wallace and NBC's Kristen Welker, who mainly avoided fact-checking.
Despite this, some believe that integrating fact-checking into live debates can help rectify misinformation quickly, benefiting the business of truthful communication in the media.
