Who Is Chris Wallace? Here’s What You Need To Know About The Final Presidential Debate Moderator
Chris Wallace created a steady presence on debate night during the Republican presidential primary. His style in those debates offers a hint at what to expect from the moderator of the final presidential debate. The last general-election showdown will take place tonight in Las Vegas.
"If people say, 'it was a great debate and I don't remember you being there,' I will have done my job," he has said. #Debates2016 @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/bYKCU1uy7X
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) October 19, 2016
Chris Wallace is the first-ever general-election debate moderator from Fox News. After many complaints from Donald Trump about NBC’s Lester Holt and CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Trump has not yet protested about the selection of Wallace.
Chris Wallace on preparing for the final presidential debate https://t.co/1PtPyN0vEl
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) October 19, 2016
Fox News is relentlessly promoting Wednesday night’s debate, broadcasting a photograph of a smiling Chris Wallace in the corner of the screen.
Chris will become the first @FoxNews anchor to moderate a presidential debate. @unlv #Debates2016 pic.twitter.com/SfcMqe85yy
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) October 19, 2016
However, Hillary Clinton and her camp are unhappy about the inclusion of any journalist from Fox News.
Chris Wallace is actually a registered Democrat. Wallace explained to the Washington Post in 2006 that his party affiliation is purely pragmatic and based on his desire to participate in local elections.
“The reason I’m a registered Democrat is that in Washington, D.C., there is really only one party.”
“If you want a say in who’s going to be the next mayor or councilman, you have to vote in the Democratic primary.”
"We’re helping millions of people decide who we’re going to elect the next president.” @FoxNews #Debates2016 pic.twitter.com/t1lz8E0VOa
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) October 19, 2016
The moderator explained that he is able to cover the news without letting his personal opinion get in the way.
“However I vote personally, I think I’m professional enough that it doesn’t have anything to do with the way I cover the news.”
Chris Wallace has interviewed Hillary Clinton and President Obama in the past six months for Fox News Sunday so he already has some experience with the Secretary of State.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHFMcsoKMcs
Wallace definitely grilled Clinton on some difficult topics during their interview, like the subjects that conservatives believe she skates, including gun control, her response to the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, and her use of a private email server as secretary of state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIxqADPF178
These interviews were likely used to help Wallace’s case for the Commission on Presidential Debates to select the moderators for the debates. The interviews also showed that Wallace is seen by Democrats as fair and by Republicans as willing to ask questions conservatives care about.
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In March, Chris Wallace attended the Republican primary debate armed with full-screen graphics to debunk some of Trump’s false claims according to The Washington Post.
“Do I take a certain pleasure when I open the gate and he decides to walk down the path and I’ve got the bear trap at the end of the path? Yeah. Sure.”
So while Trump has not yet complained about Wallace yet, they have had some run-ins at debates in the past. Although, Chris has said that he won’t play the “truth squad” this time.
“I do not believe it is my job to be a truth squad.
I’m not saying that if they don’t that I won’t. But what would certainly be my preference is that they… keep checking on each other.”
The commission is aiming for general-election moderators to avoid confrontations with the candidates.
Tonight’s final debate will certainly be an interesting last face-off between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, hopefully Chris Wallace can hold the reigns in close on this debate.
Tune in to the last presidential debate tonight to see what happens.
[Featured Image by Kris Connor/Stringer/Getty Images]
