“We’re done,” said an exasperated ABC spokesperson during an impromptu press conference. “We hosted debates to promote democracy, but it turns out we were just promoting cancellations.”
The trouble began on Tuesday night when ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, dared to do something radical during the presidential debate: they fact-checked. Real-time. On live television. As if anyone tunes into a presidential debate expecting the truth.
The moderators stopped former President Donald Trump mid-sentence several times to correct false claims, including his infamous assertion that Ohio immigrants were eating pets and that Democrats supported “executing babies after birth.” These moments, while earning applause from viewers who appreciate reality, didn’t sit well with advertisers looking for a good, drama-free ROI on their millions.
