During the recent vice-presidential debate, CBS moderators muted the microphone of JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate. This happened when Vance was spreading false information about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. CBS wanted to keep the debate fair and prevent candidates from speaking over each other, so they cut Vance’s mic when he refused to stop talking.
This made former Fox News host Megyn Kelly very upset. She went to social media to express her anger. Kelly tweeted, “F you CBS — how DARE YOU.” In another tweet, she said, “Tried to face check. JD put you in your place. You WONT LET HIM FIGHT YOU AND YOU WONT LET THEM DEBATE.”
F you CBS – how DARE YOU
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2024
Tried to fact check. JD put you in your place. You WONT HIM FIGHT YOU AND YOU WONT LET THEM DEBATE
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2024
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But the real problem is bigger than Kelly’s tweets. The Republican Party, especially Trump and his supporters, often spread false information and refuse to accept the truth when corrected. Vance’s behavior during the debate is another example of this problem, and it is hurting American politics.
Misinformation has become a common tactic, especially since Trump became the leader of the party. He has used lies and exaggerations to push his agenda, and his supporters often follow his example.
In fact, during the 2020 presidential debates, Trump constantly interrupted Joe Biden and refused to let the moderators control the conversation. He made false claims about the economy, immigration, and the coronavirus pandemic, and when corrected, he simply ignored the facts. This kind of behavior from Republicans, like Trump and Vance, shows a complete disregard for truth.
During this most recent vice-presidential debate, Vance made false claims about Haitian migrants entering Springfield, Ohio, illegally. When CBS moderator Margaret Brennan stepped in to correct him, she clarified, “Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status.” Vance, however, refused to acknowledge this and continued arguing. “The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check, and since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on,” Vance responded. Rather than listen to Brennan and move on, Vance continued to talk over the moderators, forcing CBS to cut his mic. Brennan explained to viewers, “Gentlemen, the audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut. We have so much we want to get to.”
Trump, during his time as president, made many false claims about immigrants. He famously said that Mexico was sending “rapists” and “criminals” to the U.S., which was completely untrue. His goal was to scare Americans and turn them against immigrants.
Vance’s comments about Haitian migrants in Ohio are similar. He wanted to create fear and make people believe that immigrants are a problem, even though the facts show otherwise. This tactic is used to distract from real issues and focus on fear and division.
Republicans, like Trump and Vance, don’t want to have real conversations based on facts. Instead, they rely on misinformation to push their political agenda. This is dangerous for democracy because it prevents voters from making informed decisions. If people are only hearing lies, how can they trust what politicians say?
Featured image via Screengrab
