Despite indications from CBS that moderators wouldn’t fact-check the Vice Presidential debate in real time, they eventually ended up doing so after GOP candidate JD Vance repeated lies about Haitian immigrants he’s been telling on the campaign trail. And Vance wasn’t happy about it at all.
During a discussion on immigration, Vance continued to falsely describe the Haitian community of Springfield, Ohio as “illegal aliens,” prompting CBS moderator Margaret Brennan to pause and correct him. “Just to clarify, Springfield’s Haitian migrants have legal status,” she said.
As Brennan attempted to move on to the next topic, Vance, somewhat audibly miffed, talked over her, whining, “Margaret, the rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact check.” He then began an irrelevant explanation of the process by which certain immigrants can apply for asylum.
At that, Brennan pointed out that this was in fact irrelevant; at the same time Vance became largely inaudible. “The audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut,” she said, adding, “We have so much to get to. Thank you for explaining the legal process.”
Watch the exchange here:
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Fact-checking has been a point of contention during this election cycle. In the first presidential debate, CNN said in advance it wouldn’t fact check. During the second debate on ABC, moderators ended up fact-checking in response to several blatant falsehoods by Trump.
The CBS vice presidential debate is likely the last of this election cycle with only five weeks until Election Day. Vice President Kamala Harris proposed a potential debate on Oct. 23, but Trump said it was “too late.”
