ABC’s Debate Moderators: What to Know About David Muir and Linsey Davis

As the nation braces for the first 2024 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, all eyes are on ABC News, the host of this high-stakes political showdown.
Two seasoned journalists, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will steer the 90-minute debate, which will take place on September 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
David Muir, the anchor and managing editor of ABC’s World News Tonight, brings a wealth of experience to the moderator’s chair. Known for his incisive questioning and calm demeanor by viewers, Muir has covered numerous political events and interviewed world leaders throughout his career. His role as lead anchor of ABC’s evening news broadcast has made him a familiar face to millions of Americans, positioning him well to navigate the complexities of a presidential debate.
Joining Muir is Linsey Davis, the ABC News Live primetime anchor. Davis has built a reputation for her insightful reporting and ability to tackle tough issues head-on. Davis, who anchors World News Tonight on Sundays, moderated two Democratic primary debates during the 2020 campaign cycle.
Muir brings extensive experience, having moderated four primary debates for ABC since 2015, including three Democratic and one Republican. He has also interviewed both Trump and Harris.
The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a fitting location given its significance in American history and governance.
A recent poll conducted by Patriot Polling between September 1 and 3 shows Trump leading 1.1 points ahead in Pennsylvania, at 49 percent compared to Harris’ 47.9 percent. This is crucial, as Pennsylvania is most likely to be the tipping point state that will give the Electoral College winner their 270th vote.
The question of fact-checking during presidential debates has been a topic of significant discussion in recent years. CNN faced criticism for not issuing real-time corrections when Trump made false claims during his June debate against President Joe Biden, whose poor performance preceded his withdrawal from the presidential race.
Rick Klein, ABC News’ political director, provided insight into the network’s stance on real-time fact-checking during the debate in an interview with The New York Times.
“I don’t think it’s a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ proposition,” Klein stated. “We’re not making a commitment to fact-check everything or fact-check nothing in either direction. We’re there to keep a conversation going and to facilitate a good solid debate, and that entails a lot of things in terms of asking questions, moving the conversation along, making sure that it’s civilized.”
Klein said the moderators’ primary role will be to ‘facilitate a discussion’ and provide a platform for the candidates to articulate their positions clearly.
In a notable departure from previous debates, ABC News has implemented strict rules to maintain order and ensure a focused discussion. One of the most significant changes is the introduction of muted microphones. Each candidate’s microphone will only be turned on during their designated speaking time, a measure designed to prevent interruptions and cross-talk that have marred past debates.
This rule change comes in response to criticism of previous debates, during which candidates frequently talked over one another, making it difficult for viewers to follow the discussion. ABC aims to create a more structured and informative debate experience for the audience by enforcing speaking time limits and muting microphones.
The debate will be broadcast live on ABC and also air on WPVI-TV, ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu, and the ABC app.
While attention is focused on the upcoming presidential debate, plans are already in motion for the vice-presidential face-off. CBS News has announced that the debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, and Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, will occur on October 1.
The network has not announced a broadcast time but has tapped anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell of CBS Evening News and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan to moderate the debate.