Chris Wallace Faces Intense Backlash, Including From Colleagues, Over Bias During Debate

Fox News host Chris Wallace, a registered Democrat, faced intense backlash on Tuesday night for what was widely deemed as bias in the debate in the favor of Democrat Joe Biden and against Republican President Donald Trump.

One of the issues that Wallace was called out for the most was how he appeared to let Biden interrupt Trump but would jump in to interrupt Trump when Trump would talk over Biden.

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade even noted the discrepancy and called it out on social media, writing: “Why is @JoeBiden allowed to interrupt? @realDonaldTrump is not.”

Why is @JoeBiden allowed to interrupt? @realDonaldTrump is not

— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) September 30, 2020

Fox News host Laura Ingraham made a similar point, writing: “Biden seems to interrupt with impunity.”

Biden seems to interrupt with impunity.

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 30, 2020

Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy wrote: “I love Chris Wallace, but he should get out of the way.”

I love Chris Wallace, but he should get out of the way.

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) September 30, 2020

McCarthy added: “Biden doesn’t support the Green New Deal. Oh, Wallace got that out of him? No, Trump did. Oh, well, did Wallace clarify what’s parts of Green New Deal Biden is against? No, needed to move on …”

Biden doesn’t support the Green New Deal.

Oh, Wallace got that out of him?

No, Trump did.

Oh, well, did Wallace clarify what’s parts of Green New Deal Biden is against?

No, needed to move on …

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) September 30, 2020

McCarthy added: “Chris Wallace jumps in a second time when Biden having trouble with Trump’s questioning.”

Chris Wallace jumps in a second time when Biden having trouble with Trump’s questioning.

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) September 30, 2020

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld said that it was “not good” when Wallace reportedly laughed with Biden.

Wallace laughing along with Biden isn’t a good look.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 30, 2020

Bill O’Reilly, who used to be a colleague of Wallace’s, wrote on Twitter: “Good line from Trump—he tells Chris Wallace he’s debating him, not Joe.”

Good line from Trump—he tells Chris Wallace he’s debating him, not Joe.

— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) September 30, 2020

O’Reilly added: “Chris Wallace doesn’t have the facts at his command about the Ukraine payments made to Biden’s son that Trump brought up. Big mistake by Mr. Wallace.”

Chris Wallace doesn’t have the facts at his command about the Ukraine payments made to Biden’s son that Trump brought up. Big mistake by Mr. Wallace.

— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) September 30, 2020

Attorney Harmeet Dhillon wrote on Twitter: “Chris Wallace is a disgrace. Republicans need to stop allowing the slanted media to have any role in debates in future years.”

Chris Wallace is a disgrace. Republicans need to stop allowing the slanted media to have any role in debates in future years.

— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) September 30, 2020

Actor James Woods wrote on Twitter: “Chris Wallace is shamelessly biased. It’s a beautiful demonstration of fake news in action. I’m actually glad it’s happening, because you can see it for yourself.”

Chris Wallace is shamelessly biased. It’s a beautiful demonstration of fake news in action. I’m actually glad it’s happening, because you can see it for yourself.

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 30, 2020

Journalist Yashar Ali, who was Hillary Clinton’s co-chair on her 2008 presidential campaign, wrote on Twitter that there was “no doubt” that “Wallace is not doing a good job  as a debate moderator.”

Question…Chris Wallace is not doing a good job as debate moderator…no doubt about that. But in terms of Trump's repeated interrupting would another moderator have handled it better?

Without the ability to mute a microphone, what could another moderator have done?

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 30, 2020

Newsweek editor Josh Hammer wrote on Twitter: “Just an inexcusable effort tonight from Chris Wallace. And I say that as someone who is generally a fan of his.”

Just an inexcusable effort tonight from Chris Wallace. And I say that as someone who is generally a fan of his.

— Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) September 30, 2020

Federal co-founder Sean Davis wrote on Twitter: “Chris Wallace is now reading Biden’s energy plan back to him to remind Biden what’s in his plan. I have never, never seen anything like this from a moderator.”

Davis added: “Chris Wallace is making very clear that his goal tonight is to run interference for Joe Biden. If he wants to be a deranged NeverTrumper, that’s his prerogative, but Wallace is doing everything in his power to tilt the election toward his preferred candidate. Everyone can see it.”

Chris Wallace is making very clear that his goal tonight is to run interference for Joe Biden. If he wants to be a deranged NeverTrumper, that's his prerogative, but Wallace is doing everything in his power to tilt the election toward his preferred candidate. Everyone can see it.

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) September 30, 2020

Ben Shapiro wrote on Twitter: “Chris Wallace, over the course of the night, has moved from moderator to debater.”

Chris Wallace, over the course of the night, has moved from moderator to debater.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 30, 2020

Conservative commentator Jesse Kelly wrote on Twitter: “Ok, I don’t generally nitpick moderators, but Chris Wallace asking Joe Biden about the ‘very fine people’ thing without bringing up that it’s a flat-out lie is an absolute embarrassment.”

Ok, I don’t generally nitpick moderators, but Chris Wallace asking Joe Biden about the “very fine people” thing without bringing up that it’s a flat-out lie is an absolute embarrassment.

— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) September 30, 2020

Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell tweeted: “Chris Wallace is supposed to be invisible. He isn’t. He’s off to a terrible start.”

Chris Wallace is supposed to be invisible. He isn’t.

He’s off to a terrible start. @FoxNewsSunday

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) September 30, 2020

Grenell added: “Chris Wallace doesn’t interrupt Joe Biden.”

Chris Wallace doesn’t interrupt Joe Biden.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) September 30, 2020

Commentator Candace Owens tweeted: “Unbelievable. Every person in America knows these riots are being orchestrated by black lives matter and Antifa. Chris Wallace asks the President to condemn white supremacists but did not think to ask Joe Biden to condemn Antifa or BLM.”

Unbelievable. Every person in America knows these riots are being orchestrated by black lives matter and Antifa.

Chris Wallace asks the President to condemn white supremacists but did not think to ask Joe Biden to condemn Antifa or BLM. #Debate2020 #PresidentialDebate2020

— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) September 30, 2020

RealClearInvestigations Senior Writer Mark Hemingway wrote: “Chris Wallace calling critical race theory ‘racial sensitivity training’ is totally ignorant of what’s being taught. It is racist and anti-American. Appalling.”

Chris Wallace calling critical race theory “racial sensitivity training” is totally ignorant of what’s being taught. It is racist and anti-American. Appalling.

— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) September 30, 2020

Political commentator Harry Khachatrian tweeted: “Chris Wallace chuckling and joking with Biden during the debate, mid-question is grossly unprofessional conduct from a moderator.”

Chris Wallace chuckling and joking with Biden during the debate, mid-question is grossly unprofessional conduct from a moderator. #Debates2020

— Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) September 30, 2020