During the recent CBS News Vice Presidential Debate, House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the moderators for what he perceived as biased fact-checking against Sen. JD Vance. Johnson accused the moderators of displaying anti-conservative bias openly and expressed his disapproval of their handling of the debate.
Despite CBS's initial announcement that live fact-checking would not be allowed during the debate, moderator Margaret Brennan interjected to correct Vance when he made a statement about illegal immigrants overwhelming resources in Springfield, Ohio. Brennan clarified that Springfield, Ohio actually has a significant number of Haitian migrants with legal status, specifically temporary protected status.
When Vance attempted to challenge the fact-check, Brennan and co-moderator Norah O'Donnell spoke over him, insisting on moving to the next question. Vance pointed out the agreed-upon rule of no fact-checking during the debate and emphasized the importance of accurately portraying the situation.
Despite Vance's efforts to explain the legal process of obtaining status and connect it to a policy supported by Vice President Kamala Harris, the moderators continued to interrupt him. They thanked Vance for his explanation before cutting off his microphone as Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz engaged in the discussion.
Brennan expressed the need to move on to the next question, even as Vance tried to respond, noting that the audience couldn't hear him due to the microphone being cut off. The exchange highlighted tensions between the moderators and Vance during the debate.
