If there was any lingering doubt that former President Donald Trump would be walking into yet another lion’s den for his forthcoming presidential debate, the comments of ABC News debate moderator Linsey Davis should swiftly remove them.
On Monday, Davis raised a few eyebrows when she casually referenced a “connection” between Trump and the Ku Klux Klan.
While speaking to Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Davis dropped a curiously framed question to the governor.
“As you know, former President Donald Trump is expected to go campaign in Howell, Michigan, tomorrow,” Davis said to Whitmer, per Fox News.
Davis would then pivot to a white supremacist incident in the same Michigan locale: “Many people are aware that a month ago, in Howell, KKK protesters marched in the streets with the white robes on and suggested that they support Donald Trump.
“I’m curious if you make anything about that connection and him going in particularly to Howell tomorrow.”
Left-wing ABC News host Linsey Davis, who is going to moderate the network’s presidential debate between Harris and Trump next month, tries to connect Trump to the KKK
How is this person allowed to be a debate moderator? pic.twitter.com/VSLt0OFtSS
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) August 20, 2024
Whitmer, perfectly in step, responded as one would expect of a deep-blue Democrat.
“Well, you know, anyone who’s doing a little bit of research might have said, ‘That’s really a bad idea, look at the optics,’” Whitmer began. “You’re showing up where the KKK was just at the same time you’re in Michigan.”
(Whitmer did not bother to explain why such a large contingency of white supremacists are present in her state.)
The Michigan governor continued: “I mean, this is, I think, a troubling strategy that we see from the other side to divide us and to scare us and to stoke fear and anger.
“And contrast to what we are going to see here all week, this is a gathering of joyful, happy warriors. We are rolling up our sleeves, we’re doing the work, we take no one and no vote for granted.”
Social media was swiftly abuzz with concern about what this would mean for the forthcoming presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the de facto Democrat standard bearer.
It’s astounding that these people aren’t held to any standards at all, they just get to say things without evidence or facts and without consequence.
— Lisa Cappiello (@LisaCappiello08) August 20, 2024
This is unbelievable. She Needs to recuse herself.
Btw. The KKK was a Democrat organization
— John_from small town NH (@JDem526) August 20, 2024
I don’t understand why President Trump accepted this debate on ABC.
— KILAS MABONGHOT ???????? (@mkilas1) August 20, 2024
One astute observer wondered aloud, “I don’t understand why President Trump accepted his debate on ABC.”
Indeed, if this is how casually the debate moderator will throw around a potentially very damaging comparison — and a tenuous “connection” at best — Trump has every right to be hesitant about the Sept. 10 debate.
(Davis will host the debate, alongside anchor David Muir, according to ABC News.)
For now, and unlike his chief political rival, Trump doesn’t appear afraid to step into the hostile environs of an unfriendly debate stage.