Elections
ABC newscast was 100% positive about Harris, 93% negative about Trump ahead of debate study finds
Favoritism toward Vice President Kamala Harris while repeatedly fact-checking former President Donald Trump was quite evident during Tuesday’s ABC News Presidential Debate. A recent study by the Media Research Center (MRC) found that Harris received significantly more favorable coverage on ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” compared to Trump, sparking anger that the debate was set up as hostile territory for the former president. The study indicates since Harris entered the 2024 presidential race, ABC News aired a disproportionately positive portrayal of her campaign, with zero negative statements, while Trump was painted in a consistently negative light.
There was not just obvious bias, but there are also known connections between ABC News executives and Kamala Harris. Dana Walden, a high-ranking Disney executive whose portfolio includes ABC News, has been described as a close friend of Harris. The two have reportedly known each other since 1994, and their husbands have been friends since the 1980s. Although ABC has stated that Walden does not influence editorial decisions, her longstanding support for Democratic causes and her financial contributions to Harris’ political campaigns are pretty darn influential.
During the debate, Muir and Davis were criticized for allegedly focusing their fact-checks on Trump while allowing Harris to speak unchecked. Conservatives noted that Harris was not pressed on her explanation for recent policy reversals or questioned critically on key topics like abortion and immigration.
The MRC study reviewed 100 campaign stories aired on ABC’s “World News Tonight” between July 21 and September 6, during which time Harris received 25 clearly positive comments and zero negative ones. In stark contrast, Trump’s coverage included 66 negative comments and only five positive ones, translating to a 93% negative coverage score for the former president.
The MRC analysis also accused ABC of failing to portray Harris as a “liberal” candidate, ignoring voters who oppose her, and downplaying any controversies surrounding her campaign. ABC News has not yet responded to these criticisms. ABC has also come under fire from pro-life advocates for its handling of the abortion debate. During the debate, Linsey Davis fact-checked Trump on his mention of former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s infamous 2019 comments about third-trimester abortions. Trump referred to Northam’s suggestion that, in some cases, a discussion would occur between a mother and doctors if a baby were born alive following a failed abortion. Davis immediately dismissed Trump’s remarks, stating, “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born.”
In response, the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called Davis’ fact-check “100% inaccurate” and urged ABC News to issue a correction. The group’s president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, argued that Davis’ statement ignored the tragic reality of babies who survive failed abortions but are denied medical care.
In November, president-elect Donald Trump announced on social media that he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico if they do not take an active role in containing illegal immigration as well as the level of illicit drugs entering into the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, after which the Canadian government vowed to secure the border. “We got, I think, a mutual understanding of what they’re concerned about in terms of border security,” Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc, who accompanied Trudeau at Mar-a-Largo, said of the meeting in an interview with Canadian media. “All of their concerns are shared by Canadians and by the government of Canada.”
“We talked about the security posture currently at the border that we believe to be effective, and we also discussed additional measures and visible measures that we’re going to put in place over the coming weeks,” LeBlanc continued. “And we also established, Rosemary, a personal series of rapport that I think will continue to allow us to make that case.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is preparing to beef up its immigration enforcement capabilities by hiring more staff, adding more vehicles and creating more processing facilities, in the chance that there is an immigration surge sparked by Trump’s presidential election victory. The moves are a change in direction from Trudeau’s public declaration in January 2017 that Canada was a “welcoming” country and that “diversity is our strength” just days after Trump was sworn into office the first time.
The Daily Caller notes the differences in response from the Canadian government verses Mexico’s:
Trudeau’s recent overtures largely differ from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has indicated she is not willing to bend the knee to Trump’s tariff threats. The Mexican leader in November said “there will be a response in kind” to any tariff levied on Mexican goods going into the U.S., and she appeared to deny the president-elect’s claims that she agreed to do more to beef up border security in a recent phone call.
-
Media6 days agoTHE POOR DEARS: White House Reporters Claim They’re Already ‘Exhausted’ by Second Trump Administration
-
Immigration6 days agoCNN Host’s Reaction to Tom Homan Comments About Denver Mayor Speaks Volumes (VIDEO)
-
Politics6 days agoBiden Omits God From Thanksgiving Message
-
Politics4 days agoBiden pardons son Hunter, reversing course after pledging that he wouldn’t
