Clyburn Denounces Lack of Fact-Checking in Trump-Biden Debate

Rep. James Clyburn criticized CNN's lack of fact-checking during the first 2024 presidential debate, highlighting the former president's numerous false statements.

In the wake of the first 2024 presidential debate, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn has denounced CNN's failure to fact-check former President Donald Trump's repeated falsehoods. Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Clyburn expressed his disapproval of the debate's structure, which allowed Trump to make unsubstantiated claims without being challenged.

"I don’t like the debate where nobody will do any fact-checking," Clyburn stated. "You just say what you want to say. You know it’s a lie. The guy told 30-some odd lies! And nobody checked him on it! And said that was up to Joe Biden to do it. I’m not too sure."

Clyburn Denounces Lack of Fact-Checking in Trump-Biden Debate

Clyburn's criticism was echoed by Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who argued that CNN could have done more to expose Trump's lies. "Frankly, I think CNN could have a done a better job in calling [Trump's] lies out," Shapiro said on CNN's "New Day." "Joe Biden had a bad debate night, but Donald Trump was a bad president. I‘ll be the first to admit that that was not a good look in that debate last night."

Clyburn, a longtime ally of President Joe Biden, defended his performance despite acknowledging that it was less than ideal. He attributed Biden's difficulties to an overload of debate preparation, which led to him struggling to find the right words and phrases. However, he highlighted Biden's subsequent performance in North Carolina, where he appeared relaxed and engaged with the audience.

Clyburn Denounces Lack of Fact-Checking in Trump-Biden Debate

Bash, who co-moderated the debate, reminded Clyburn that the debate format was agreed upon by both Biden and Trump. However, Clyburn maintained that the lack of fact-checking was a flaw in the process. "If I ask you a question, and you lie to me with the answer, I ought to follow up, and give you what the facts are. and see what your reaction to that would be," he said.

Clyburn's criticism of CNN's lack of fact-checking has sparked a wider debate about the role of journalists in moderating political debates. Some commentators argue that it is essential for moderators to challenge false statements in real-time, while others maintain that it is the responsibility of the candidates to fact-check themselves.

Clyburn Denounces Lack of Fact-Checking in Trump-Biden Debate

As the 2024 presidential election campaign heats up, the issue of fact-checking is likely to remain a contentious one. With the spread of misinformation and disinformation becoming increasingly widespread, the ability to quickly and effectively debunk false claims will be crucial to ensuring an informed electorate.