The blatant bias displayed by ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis during Tuesday’s presidential debate has everyone talking, but perhaps the spotlight should be on their boss — Disney executive Dana Walden, who oversees ABC News and happens to be a close personal friend of Kamala Harris. If anyone was wondering why Trump got grilled while Harris skated by with softball questions, look no further. It seems like the moderators were just following orders from the top.
The bias was so obvious that even Megyn Kelly, who isn’t exactly known for being Trump’s biggest fan, called out Walden for what she saw as an orchestrated effort to undermine the former president. According to Kelly, Walden is part of a plan to “steal this election” by sinking Trump at every opportunity. She didn’t mince words when she pointed out that the debate was three-on-one, with the moderators piling on Trump while letting Harris off the hook.
Megyn Kelly’s post-debate analysis put a big target on Dana Walden, who is the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment and runs a large number of TV properties, including ABC News. Kelly didn’t hold back, saying the moderators did exactly what Walden wanted, which was to protect her good friend Kamala. She highlighted how Walden is a close personal friend of both Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, and that their relationship goes back years. So, no surprise the debate felt like a rigged game.
The whole thing was a mistake, Kelly argued, because trusting ABC News with the debate was like handing Harris a free pass. The moderators fact-checked Trump live on-air and kept hitting him with tough follow-ups, while Harris was allowed to spout whatever nonsense she wanted—Charlottesville hoax, anyone? They didn’t even press her for clarification on obvious lies, and it became painfully clear that they weren’t interested in a fair fight. But as Kelly warned, this level of bias might just backfire.
It’s not the first time ABC News has gotten itself into hot water for spreading misleading stories about Trump. Remember when they falsely reported that Trump directed Michael Flynn to contact Russian officials during the 2016 campaign? That report blew up in their faces when it turned out Trump’s order came after he was elected, and ABC had to retract the story. The fallout was so bad they fired correspondent Bob Ross over it. But with Dana Walden at the helm, pushing her political connections, it’s hard to say if ABC News has learned its lesson.
What’s especially concerning is Walden’s deep ties to Harris. Not only has she donated to Harris’s campaigns and hosted fundraisers, but she’s also personally credited with introducing Harris to her now-husband. With all these connections, it’s no wonder ABC News gave Harris such favorable treatment during the debate. They weren’t just moderating—they were running interference.
