Candidates, media are already fact-checking ahead of debate

[KARAH RUCKER]

JUST AS THEY SAY THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY –

NOW THERE ARE APPARENTLY TWO SIDES TO EVERY FACT.

BEFORE TONIGHT’S DEBATE EVEN BEGINS –

THE FACT-CHECKING – HAS ALREADY BEGUN.

BUT THIS YEAR – IT ISN’T JUST THE MEDIA PREPARING THEIR OWN FACT-CHECKS.

THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES HAVE THEIR OWN APPROACHES IN FACT-CHECKING EACH OTHER.

TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE “FACT CHECK BIDEN DOT COM” –

SAYING BIDEN’S “PERFORMANCES ARE OFTEN FILLED WITH LIES – ABOUT HIMSELF, ABOUT STATISTICS, ABOUT HIS RECORD, AND ABOUT EVENTS THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE.”

BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN HAS A SIMILAR TACTIC –

ALSO RELEASING DAY OF THE DEBATE –

A FACT-CHECKING MEMO – FOR THE MEDIA.

DETAILING THEIR “RAPID RESPONSE STRATEGY” WITH A LOOK AT WHAT IT CALLS THE “LIES, MISSTATEMENTS, AND EXAGGERATIONS” THEY BELIEVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL SAY ON STAGE.

ACCORDING TO NBC – THE MEMO STATES BIDEN’S TEAM WILL ALSO BE SENDING OUT “FACT-CHECK EMAILS” TO NEWS OUTLETS DURING THE DEBATE 

THE MEDIA ARE ALSO ALREADY IN A FACT-CHECKING FRENZY.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS GETTING AHEAD OF IT –

LAYING OUT CONTEXT TO CONTROVERSIAL TAKES THE CANDIDATES ARE LIKELY TO HAVE.

AND OTHER NEWS OUTLETS ARE ENCOURAGING DEBATE WATCHERS TO 

FOLLOW THEIR LIVE FACT CHECKING BLOGS ON ONE SCREEN WHILE THE DEBATE PLAYS OUT ON ANOTHER.

AS MEDIA OUTLETS WITH A LEFT AND RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS OFFER VERY DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON THE PROCESS.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE MEDIA ON DEBATE NIGHT.

CNN IS HOSTING.

AND HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID ITS MODERATORS WILL NOT BE FACT-CHECKING THE CANDIDATES **DURING THE DEBATE.

HOWEVER –

A SENIOR REPORTER WILL BE POSTING LIVE FACT-CHECKS ON X –

AND SAYS A RUNNING FACT CHECK CAN BE FOUND ONLINE –

LIKE ON MOST CABLE NETWORKS’ WEBSITES.

THE NEW YORK TIMES WILL HAVE 60 STAFF MEMBERS ON HAND –

29 OF THEM WILL FACT-CHECK LIVE.

AND POLITIFACT – A SITE DEDICATED TO FACT-CHECKING POLITICIANS –

SIMILARLY SAYS THEY’LL HAVE 27 STAFF MEMBERS AVAILABLE TO UPDATE THE FACT-CHECK TALLY.

HOW AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT FACT-CHECKS?

IS LARGELY PARTISAN.

PEW RESEARCH FOUND 70 PERCENT OF REPUBLICANS BELIEVE FACT-CHECKERS ARE BIASED.

29 PERCENT OF DEMOCRATS –

AND 47 PERCENT OF INDEPENDENTS FELT THE SAME.

POLL AFTER POLL SHOWS TRUST IS HARD TO COME BY.

AND WHILE FACT-CHECKING WAS ORIGINALLY MEANT TO SERVE AS A TOOL IN BUILDING TRUST –

EVEN THAT IS TAINTED BY A PARTISAN DIVIDE.

AS TWO CANDIDATES – WITH VERY DIFFERENT POLICIES. PERSONALITIES. AND APPROACHES – TAKE CENTER STAGE TONIGHT –

VYING FOR AMERICA’S TRUST –

FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

FOR DEBATE COVERAGE –

DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE MORNING RUNDOWN WHERE WE WILL RECAP THE NIGHT’S HIGHLIGHTS WITH UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING.