MOORHEAD- In a flash poll conducted by CNN, 63% of voters believed that Vice President Kamala Harris won the debate, compared to 37% responding in favor of former President Donald Trump.
In terms of media bias, CNN holds an AllSides score of -1.30, placing the company just over the border of “Center” and “Lean-Left” categories. BBC News validates this poll and holds an AllSides score of -0.80, placing them in the “Center” category. The public opinion of voters is clear: Kamala Harris outperformed Donald Trump during the Sept. 10 debate.
Media bias had a negligible impact on the debate. According to CNN timing efforts, Trump spoke for 42 minutes to Harris’ 37. Both candidates agreed to the proposed rules and moderation of the debate. Further, the Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart places ABC as one of the most reliable news outlets in the world. Fact-checking is a critical aspect of journalism, and reliable information is one of the most valuable commodities of the 21st century. While Trump was fact-checked three times during the debate, post-debate analysis by The Associated Press indicates that both candidates misstated facts and Trump did so far more often than Harris. CNN concurs, quantifying 33 false statements made by Trump compared to one false statement made by Harris. The false statement made by Harris was when taking a comment Trump made about a “bloodbath in the auto industry” out of context. The statements made by former President Trump that were fact-checked during the debate were his statements about post-birth executions of babies, immigrants stealing and eating pets and the results of the 2020 election.
Ultimately, the results of the debate are evident. Voters believe that Harris had a stronger debate performance than Trump, and Trump made far more false claims than Harris.
Media sources consistently ranked as having minimal bias have confirmed public opinion polls and fact-checking efforts. Voters will continue to watch as Tim Walz and J.D. Vance compete in the Vice-Presidential debate on Oct. 1.
Have an opinion? Write about it. Email: mander76@cord.edu
