The September 10 debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is raising questions about fairness, given the connections between ABC News executive Dana Walden and the Democratic ticket. Walden, a close friend of Harris and a Biden appointee to the President’s Export Council, is overseeing ABC News, which is hosting the debate. Critics are questioning whether Walden’s ties to Harris could compromise the event’s impartiality.
Walden’s friendship with Harris dates back to the 1990s, and her influence on Harris’s personal life is significant—Walden and her husband introduced Harris to Doug Emhoff. The Waldens have been consistent donors to Harris’s campaigns, and Harris has frequently expressed her gratitude for their support. In 2022, Harris even joked that Walden was responsible for her marriage during a fundraiser hosted at the Waldens’ home.
While ABC News insists that Walden is only involved in corporate matters like staffing and budgets, concerns remain that her proximity to Harris could impact the debate’s fairness. These concerns are exacerbated by reports that Harris’s campaign requested changes to the debate format, including a seated setting and the use of notes—requests the Trump campaign has strongly opposed.
Walden’s role as a Biden appointee on the President’s Export Council, where she advises on trade issues, adds another layer of complexity. With Trump’s campaign already skeptical of ABC News’s neutrality, the debate is shaping up to be as much about the credibility of the moderators as it is about the candidates themselves.
