The two presidential campaigns disagree on whether moderators should fact-check the candidates’ comments during debates.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook, says debate moderators should correct any false statements by Trump so Clinton can use her time discussing her plans instead of correcting her rival. But Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, says fact-checking Trump is tantamount to helping Clinton.
Mook told NBC’s “Today” show on Monday that the media need to hold Trump accountable and not use low expectations to judge his performance. “We don’t want Donald Trump’s lies, distortions to be a distraction,” he said.
Conway told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the Clinton campaign is trying to “game the ref” – a reference to debate moderators – by pushing them to correct Trump’s statements.
(AP)
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4 Responses
Unless the statement is so outrageous that it cannot be allowed to stand (and the other party doesn’t have the opportunity to rebut under debate rules), the moderators should not try to provide editorial comment or spin on the answer provided. However, if one candidate tries to simply talk over the other, or engage in hyperbole, than he should step in and seek to elicit a civil answer. If a candidate doesn’t know the answer, just say so and move on. Newt Grigrich tried with some success four years ago to make the moderator the issue and Trump and continued that strategy. Hillary seems incapbable of giving a simple yes/no and then explaining her answer. If you are still awake after her policy lecture, you have forgotten what the question is.
Mr Mook said there should be fact checking for BOTH candidates, not just trump. How can a voter make an informed decision if someone is blatantly lying? Lying has nothing to do with “spin”, it has to do with Emes!
Its interesting that the Clinton side is not asking for both sides to be fact checked. Only Trump. Like she NEVER
says an untruth!