Tom Cotton criticizes ABC News for bias in Harris debate coverage

Senator Tom Cotton criticized ABC News for their handling of Vice President Kamala Harris' comments during a recent presidential debate. Harris claimed that no U.S. troops were in active duty in combat zones, a statement that was later fact-checked by ABC News' own team, revealing it to be false. Cotton expressed outrage that the moderators did not challenge her assertion, suggesting that ABC acted as a mouthpiece for the Harris campaign. He highlighted the presence of U.S. military personnel in Syria and Iraq, who are under threat from hostile forces, contradicting Harris' claim. The debate moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, were noted for their aggressive fact-checking of former President Trump while failing to apply the same scrutiny to Harris. This discrepancy has drawn criticism from various political figures, including Rep. Jim Banks, who shared footage of U.S. soldiers in combat situations to emphasize the inaccuracy of Harris' statement. Cotton further accused Harris of lying and suggested that her comments reflect a broader issue of leadership inadequacy. The situation has sparked a debate about media bias and the responsibilities of news organizations in fact-checking political statements, particularly in high-stakes environments like presidential debates. ABC News has not publicly responded to the backlash regarding their moderation of the debate and the subsequent criticism from Cotton and others.