“Disappointed with the results”, Chris Wallace whines in “The New York Times” to craft cover for his lackluster performance as debate moderator. Wallace is taking heat from all sides, and clearly the only thing Americans agree about right now is his lackluster job as moderator.
In an interview with The New York Times, Chris Wallace says,
I’ve read some of the reviews. I know people think, well, gee, I didn’t jump in soon enough,” Mr. Wallace said, his voice betraying some hoarseness from the previous night’s proceedings. “I guess I didn’t realize — and there was no way you could, hindsight being 20/20 — that this was going to be the president’s strategy, not just for the beginning of the debate but the entire debate.”
“Hindsight being 20/20”, you say?
It’s Donald Trump, and he remained very much in persona for the debate. That you “failed to realize” this, is on you. America agrees Chris, we too are disappointed with the results.
Your media cohorts aren’t pulling any punches,
Hellllo Chris Wallace??? Looking for a moderator here. Jesus Christ what a fricken mess.
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) September 30, 2020
Wallace says he wanted to “stay invisible” during the debate, and allow the candidates to take center stage. What he considers “invisible”, viewers considered ” ineffective, biased, and incapable.”
America tuned into a debate that looked more like a kindergarten throw down on a play-yard dirt lot than a moderated debate. The sort of throw down where the yard monitor participates in the brawl.
And I get the feeling that’s exactly how he wanted it. Because now left leaning media personalities can parrot the words in The New York Times,
Mr. Trump’s bullying behavior had no obvious precedent in presidential debates”
Unprecedented “bullying”…? As in, never before happened and completely unexpected… May of 2016 CNBC reports that Hillary Clinton said this about her opponent,
But the last thing we need is a bully in the pulpit,”
It seems as though “The New York Times” is engaging in Joe Biden levels of “forgetfulness.”
I think Chris knew exactly what he was doing, and played it in a way that encouraged Trump to indulge in his adversarial tone. POTUS and Wallace have a history, and it’s not as though they had never interacted. July 19th Chris Wallace had a lengthy sit down with POTUS for “Fox News Sunday.” Incidentally, the questions in the interview very much overlap the questions from the debate.
Chris had an idea of how Trump would answer the questions, and more importantly how he already held a perception of Wallace’s bias toward Democrats. From the “Fox News Sunday” interview, where Trump said,
I do think this, I think you are a very – I think you are toward the Democrat side, which is OK.”
For Wallace to use almost the exact same questions as his interview, have multiple prior engagements with Trump, and then claim that he’s surprised and disappointed at the debate devolving into a Jerry Spinger episode…. It fact-checks as false.
Other journalists agree that Chris Wallace was an invisible moderator… because he was an active participant. He literally engaged in debate with Trump. The Federalist,
Wallace proved himself a hack over and over, and it was disgusting. How are the American people supposed to discern between the two candidates and their positions when a third party injects himself into the debate in such an improper way, shirking his duty of moderating in favor of carrying out his anti-Trump agenda?”
Ouch.
WOW! JUST INSANE! Debate 'Moderator' Chris Wallace Starts DEBATING TRUMP in First 15 Minutes! (VIDEO) https://t.co/Pm0nGHhj7b @gatewaypundit #AAG #AAG2020
— All American Girl (@AIIAmericanGirI) September 30, 2020
Chris Wallace was pulling the strings on the debate stage. Some say he was helping Biden. I absolutely think he was intentionally antagonizing Trump. When the post-debate conversation revolves around a candidate and a moderator, instead of candidate to candidate…. the moderator is doing it wrong. Chris Wallace is using “The New York Times” piece to deflect his own responsibility for driving a full speed train around a hairpin turn,
Asked directly if Mr. Trump had derailed the debate, Mr. Wallace replied, “Well, he certainly didn’t help.”
Neither did you Mr. Wallace.
A word of advice, the next time you moderate a debate – don’t participate. The audience will be far less disappointed in your performance.
Thanks Sarah Hoyt, and Welcome to our “INSTAPUNDIT” readers!
Carl says: Mike Wallace?
NC says: I edited… his father cast a long shadow… one he probably won’t escape.
Or I’m old and “Mike” is the baseline Wallace in my brain.
Quentin-Q Quill says: The debate was one big mess. Yes, Trump was in persona during the debate but he took his behavior to new levels compared to his debates with Hillary Clinton and debates in the 2016 primary .I expected him to be antagonostic and interrupt but not to the extent he did. Biden wasn’t innocent either, although he didn’t interrupt as much as Trump. So, I can see that Chris Wallace might have a point about Trump’s strategy because it was so excessive compared to Trump’s past debate performances. It’s fair to criticize how Wallace handled the debate, but Trump was so over the top I’m willing to cut Wallace a little slack. I don’t plan to watch the next two debates. Once was enough in this case.
Some of the comments I’ve read about the debate have praised Trump for behaving like an alpha male.. I don’t see Trump as an alpha male because he is so hyper- sensitive, petty, and vindictive about criticism. I also thought alpha males were supposed to be effective leaders who bring people together. If a wolf pack had an alpha male like Trump it would be a chaotic dysfunctional mess. I’m not saying Trump may not have some good ideas sometimes, but he’s no alpha male because of his thin skinned nature.
The one poll I saw showed that independent voters were less likely to vote for Trump after seeing the debate. There may be other polls with different results. Normally I’d say that debates are for the most part forgotten as the news cycle moves on, but I think somepeople will remember this debate for a long time.
Scott says: Not gonna argue about the debate, it was a hot mess, and we’ll have differing opinions about the reasons / faults, but did want to comment on your statement
” I also thought alpha males were supposed to be effective leaders who bring people together. If a wolf pack had an alpha male like Trump it would be a chaotic dysfunctional mess.”
Actually, an alpha wolf rules by force, and threat of force. He either bullies or beats the other males in the pack into submission. If they don’t want to submit, they leave. That is how true alphas bring wolves together ( it could certainly be argued that things would be a bit different among people, but working in a profession of alphas, I’d say it’s often a combination of the two)
Cameron says: Given that during the second debate with Mitt vs. Obama, the moderator interjected herself into it, I’m rather happy that Trump punched back. Wallace should have kept his mouth shut except to ask questions and call time.
Mad Celt says: No need to be polite. Walllace is incompetent as a moderator. Maybe a little practice at a local high school would help.
Quentin-Q Quill says: Scott,
Thanks for the comments. Your point about wolves makes sense. In this regard, Trump is in charge of his pack but he may be defeating himself by driving people away from his pack, which in the end may put him out of power. Wolves don’t vote but people do, but I understand your point. Thanks for the perspective.
Skillyboo says: Wallace prefaced and made pointed questions aimed at putting President Trump on the defensive. His, Wallace, defending Biden, repeatedly, was too obvious to ignore. As was his failure to cite any of Biden’s denials as reverses of his on the record positions.
Paul says: I remember the 2012 Vice Presidential debate between Biden and Paul Ryan. What happened to Joe Tuesday night looked a lot like karma to me.
TheGeezer says: I stopped watching CBS news way back during the heyday of 60 Minutes because of Mike Wallace’s bias and half-truths. I caught him in error so many times when he was reporting about something in which I was an expert, so I stopped trusting him when he was speaking about things in which I was not an expert. Chris carrying on the family tradition is no surprise.
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