Chris Wallace’s Presidential Debate Topics Revealed

The topics for the first presidential debate, moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace, have been revealed and, just as predicted, Wallace’s roots are showing.

According to The Commission on Presidential Debates, Wallace has chosen the following six topics, subject to possible change because of news developments:

The Trump and Biden Records
The Supreme Court
Covid-19
The Economy
Race and Violence in our Cities
The Integrity of the Election

Notice anything missing? Nothing on climate change, police reform, criminal justice reform or health care. That’s what I noticed. How about you?

After Wallace was announced as a moderator, I wrote that while I don’t think he is a bad choice, Democrats should expect right-wing tropes and Fox News talking points to show up in the debate. The topic “Race and Violence in our Cities” shows it has already reared its head. In addition to questions about Blacks Behaving Badly, I think it's almost certain there will be questions about Hunter Biden, China, and other fave Fox "controversies."

The debate will take place on Tuesday, September 29, at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. It will start at 9 PM ET and run for 90 minutes without commercial interruption.

We’ll be watching!

(Wallace image via screen grab)

Follow @NewsHounds

Follow @NewsHoundEllen

Do you like this post?

Showing 7 reactions

commented 2020-09-23 23:52:31 -0400 · Flag

I think Joe Biden should do what Sarah Palin did back in 2008 — ignore the moderator and just grin at the debate opponent (Biden back then, Trump today) and say you’re going to speak directly to the American people about what’s important to THEM. Why stay on topic? It’s a set-up, and Biden should ignore it.

commented 2020-09-23 22:49:50 -0400 · Flag

Chris might work in a couple of golden oldie questions on Hillary’s emails and Benghazi.

commented 2020-09-23 22:43:53 -0400 · Flag

Rw Fan, no doubt about it.

commented 2020-09-23 22:22:53 -0400 · Flag

I agree with Ellen’s voids. “Race” is an inadequate substitute term for police/justice reform. Covid-19 should be the first issue, rather than, as announced, in the middle of the list, the place of least salience and memorability, happening also to be the issue Trump is least capable of spinning. The Integrity of the Election is a subset of a larger topic needing addressing: character, leadership, and allegiance to the Constitution, The Integrity of the Nation, as it were.

commented 2020-09-23 22:21:16 -0400 · Flag

The 20,000 documented lies must be a ripe garden to pick from. I’d also suggest emoluments, the inability to criticise Putin, even after the bounty business, and the criminals the blob has surrounded himself with.

commented 2020-09-23 21:50:21 -0400 · Flag

Trump will still bitch about Wallace and how he was easy on Biden and tough on him. Count on it.

commented 2020-09-23 21:36:36 -0400 · Flag

If Biden is thinking ahead, he’ll be able to salt those other topics into his answers, in spite of Wallace’s attempt to Fox News it up.