Donald Trump complained about CBS News’ moderators, insulted Democrat Tim Walz and grew animated when topics arose that most threaten his attempt to return to the White House during his live play-by-play of Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate.
“EVERYONE KNOWS I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WOULD, IN FACT, VETO IT, BECAUSE IT IS UP TO THE STATES TO DECIDE BASED ON THE WILL OF THEIR VOTERS (THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE!),” Trump wrote about an hour into the encounter between Walz, the governor of Minnesota, and his own running mate, Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance.
He continued: “LIKE RONALD REAGAN BEFORE ME, I FULLY SUPPORT THE THREE EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE, INCEST, AND THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER. I DO NOT SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATS RADICAL POSITION OF LATE TERM ABORTION LIKE, AS AN EXAMPLE, IN THE 7TH, 8TH, OR 9TH MONTH OR, IN CASE THERE IS ANY QUESTION, THE POSSIBILITY OF EXECUTION OF THE BABY AFTER BIRTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”
Trump’s pledge to veto a national abortion ban was the first time he had explicitly said he would do that, and it came after polling that shows the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade remains deeply unpopular. Trump has consistently praised that ruling, made possible by his appointment of three anti-abortion justices to the high court, but has also tried to avoid its political consequences.
The coup-attempting former president also seemed upset by the final question of the debate — about his refusal to honor the results of the 2020 election that he had lost and the resulting attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“CBS is LYING AGAIN about the 2020 Election. Where is my apology from Leslie Stahl? She claimed that the Hunter Biden LAPTOP FROM HELL was not real, and that my Campaign wasn’t spied on. CBS IS FAKE NEWS!” he wrote, going off on a non sequitur.
Two minutes earlier, he had attacked moderator Norah O’Donnell for even asking the question: “Norah just made a statement about the Election, not a question. She’s having a bad night!”
Trump attacking the two moderators—Margaret Brennan was the other—was a main theme for the 100-minute debate, which is likely to be the final one of the general election, and the criticism began before it even started.
“Both young ladies have been extremely biased Anchors!” he posted.
Trump had promised in a video he shot before the debate that he would be fair, as well as praise and criticise Vance and Walz equally.
“We’re going to keep it very straight. We’re going to see how they do,” he said. “We’re going to be, I really believe, fair. Or at least somewhat fair. Maybe not 100% fair, but at least somewhat fair.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was not even “somewhat” fair, attacking Walz for taking too many notes and being “not very bright.” He also repeatedly called him “Tampon Tim,” based on a long-ago-debunked conspiracy theory.
“More notes! Why can’t Walz just remember what he has to say? Low IQ!” Trump posted 25 minutes into the debate.
“Tim Walz is not doing well. He is not qualified to be Vice President - Very much like Kamala, he is a TOTAL JOKE!” Trump wrote an hour in, referring to the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Insulting Walz’s intelligence was the focus of Trump’s synopsis after the debate was over, too.
“JD crushed it! Walz was a Low IQ Disaster - Very much like Kamala,” he posted about 15 minutes after it finished. “Our Country would never be able to recover from an Administration of these two. Can you imagine them representing us with sharp, fierce Foreign Leaders? I can’t!”