Posted in: CBS, Opinion, TV, TV | Tagged: cbs, JD Vance, opinion, tim walz

CBS News Leaving Walz/Vance Debate Fact-Checking Up to Candidates

CBS News moderators/journalists Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan won't be fact-checking this week's debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance.

While it doesn't look like Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-reality show host, multi-impeached ex-POTUS, and convicted felon Donald Trump will debating again anytime soon, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance will be going one-on-one this Tuesday, October 1st, at 9 pm ET on the CBS Television Network, CBS News 24/7, and Paramount +. Stemming from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City, the 90-minute debate is set to be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan – who apparently won't be doing much other than just sitting there and waiting for their next turn to ask a question. Why? Because CBS News confirmed that it is not the responsibility of two highly esteemed journalists and interviewers representing a network news organization to actually do any fact-checking – that's up to the candidates. Considering Vance has already gone on the record as saying that he's willing to "create stories" to push an agenda, you can only imagine how well this is going to go.

UPDATE: For those of you looking for the facts and not misinformation, there will be real-time fact-checking via CBS News Confirmed during the debate online on our live blog, on social media, and during post-debate coverage. Just not during the actual debate itself… where real-time fact-checking would actually make sense. Now, here's a look at the rest of the rules for the Walz/Vance debate:

(1) There will be 90 minutes of debate time, with two breaks of four minutes each.

(2) There will be no audience.

(3) The two moderators, Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan, will be seated and will be the only ones asking questions of the candidates.

(4) Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate, Governor Walz on stage left/screen right and Senator Vance on stage right/screen left.

(5) Candidates will have two minutes for closing statements. A virtual coin toss was held on Sept. 26. Sen. Vance won and elected to go second with his closing statement.

(6) Candidates will be introduced by the moderators in order of incumbent party.

(7) No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage.

(8) No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.

(9) Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during breaks.

(10) Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

(11) Event space will be available for staff and candidate walk-throughs to be scheduled in advance.

(12) Lights will indicate time left, with numeric countdown: green until 15 seconds; solid yellow until five seconds; flashing red at five seconds; solid red at zero.

(13) CBS News reserves the right to turn off candidate microphones.

(14) Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements.

(15) For each question, the candidate asked the question will get two minutes to answer and the other candidate will get two minutes to respond. Then, each candidate gets one minute for further rebuttals. At the discretion of the moderators, candidates may get an additional minute each to continue a discussion.

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