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Political analyst accuses ABC of soft handling of Harris’ policy changes: ‘Biggest failure’ of the night
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Political analyst accuses ABC of soft handling of Harris’ policy changes: ‘Biggest failure’ of the night

Journalist Mark Halperin accused the media of protecting Vice President Kamala Harris “at all costs” following ABC News’ all-important presidential debate on Tuesday night.

“Not only was one news organization fully on board to protect her all the way to Election Day, but we saw in the coverage of the debate, which was laughably unequal, no acknowledgement that it was laughably unequal. In fact, mostly praise for how great ABC did,” Halperin said during a livestream on his media platform 2WAY on Friday.

ABC debate co-moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis faced criticism from conservatives after fact-checking Trump five times during the heated event and not correcting Harris once. The moderators were also accused of letting Harris sit out the event to explain why she had changed her positions on several progressive policies in the past.

Halperin, a former political director for ABC News, said the moderators’ soft handling of Harris’ policy changes was “the biggest failure of the night.”

ABC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: MODERATORS DAVID MUIR AND LINSEY DAVIS CHECK FACTS ON TRUMP 5 TIMES, 0 FOR HARRIS

David Muir, Linsey Davis

ABC Presidential Debate co-moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis fact-checked former President Trump four times during the 90-minute event and failed to correct Vice President Kamala Harris once on Tuesday night. (ABC News)

“What matters more to me was that last night was the best — and if the Harris campaign continues to hide her, perhaps the only — chance to have her explain her changes in position. That to me was the biggest failure,” he said.

While Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD VanceSince the Harris-Walz candidate program was formed, Harris and her running mate have had at least 44 interviews, with only seven unscripted interviews, with less than two months to go until Election Day.

The debate, he said, was Harris’ only chance left to explain her changing policy positions.

“They asked her one question, she didn’t answer it, and then they dropped it altogether,” Halperin said.

Towards the end of the debate, ABC’s Linsey David brought up Harris’ past support for abolishing private health care. She then asked the candidate what her current health care proposal was.

FOX NEWS MEDIA PROPOSES SECOND HARRIS-TRUMP DEBATE MODERATED BY MARTHA MACCALLUM AND BRET BAIER

TRUMP-HARRIS

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

Halperin also called former President Trump’s performance the “worst (presidential) debate performance I’ve ever seen.”

Trump failed to convey the message that Harris is a radical left-wing politician, he argued.

“Last night he showed what most of us thought: He is absolutely incapable of doing it,” Halperin said.

Despite what he saw as biased media coverage and a poor performance by Trump, Halperin was not convinced the debate would have a major impact on the polls.

“Maybe there is movement, maybe not,” he said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ABC News for comment.

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