CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the first presidential debate, but the Trump campaign has expressed concerns about their impartiality. Trump National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted Tapper's past comments comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler, which Leavitt brought up during a contentious interview with CNN's Kasie Hunt. Hunt ended the interview after Leavitt's remarks, and former White House Communications Director Sean Spicer criticized CNN for not wanting viewers to see Tapper's past.
Tapper has a history of Democratic ties, having worked as a House staffer for Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky and for the left-wing organization Handgun Control. Spicer accused CNN of planning to mute Trump's microphone during the debate, stating, "On Thursday, it’s gonna be Trump versus the moderators and Joe Biden." CNN defended Tapper and Bash, stating that they are "well respected veteran journalists who have covered politics for more than five decades combined."
Skepticism remains about Tapper and Bash's impartiality, with commentators noting their past criticism of Trump. Tapper has previously compared Trump to Hitler and Bash has addressed Trump's remarks about Jewish people voting for Democrats. Tapper has also been accused of taking Trump's comments out of context, such as when Trump was alleged to have called neo-Nazis and white nationalists "very fine people."
Tapper has been critical of Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his diagnosis with the virus. He has also been a platform for proponents of the Trump-Russia collusion narrative and has continued to frame the narrative against Trump even after the Mueller Report found no evidence of collusion. Tapper's program is currently facing a defamation lawsuit over its coverage of a security consulting firm's operations during the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Despite these concerns, CNN has not responded to requests for comment. The debate will take place on June 27 in Atlanta.
https://justthenews.com/accountability/media/wedtapper-and-bash-debate-draft
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