Gayle King Sent ABC News Debate Moderators a Note After the Broadcast: ‘It’s Always Very Difficult’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Gayle King; Linsey Davis; David Muir.Photo:Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Heidi Gutman/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty Images

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Heidi Gutman/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty Images

Gayle Kingis expressing admiration for fellow broadcast journalists David Muir andLinsey Davisover their moderation of the Sept. 10 presidential debate on ABC News.

TheCBS Morningshost — who co-moderated theSouth Carolina Democratic primary debatein 2020 — spoke exclusively to PEOPLE atInStyle’s 30th birthday event, praising the recent ABC News moderators for how they handled the back and forth between Vice PresidentKamala Harrisand former PresidentDonald Trump.

“I thought they did a great job, David and Linsey. I sent them both a note because I remember I have done it before and I thought it was like herding cats,” King, 69, says.

“Now, granted, we had more candidates and we have a studio audience which makes a difference, but they had the two of them and I thought they were great with the way they did the follow-ups and the questions that they asked. I thought they did great.”

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

King tells PEOPLE that the hardest component of serving as a moderator is that you “want to give both candidates equal time.”

King adds that you also “want to be fair” as a moderator, saying, “You want to make sure that each candidate gets a chance to express their opinion in the allotted time. It’s always very difficult.”

CBS News' Bill Whitaker, Norah O’Donnell, Gayle King, Major Garrett and Margaret Brennan host a presidential primary debate in 2020.Evelyn Hockstein/CBS via Getty Images

Evelyn Hockstein/CBS via Getty Images

The ABC News presidential debate on Sept. 10 marked the first time Trump, 78, had ever met Harris, 59, in person.

During the debate, candidates answered questions about healthcare, foreign policy, the economy, theJan. 6 Capitol riot, the Supreme Court’s overturning ofRoe v. WadeandProject 2025.

According toCNN, Trump made more than 30 false claims during the debate, ranging from conspiracy theories regardingimmigrants “eating pets"and that Democrats “have abortion in the ninth month."

Their running mates,Tim WalzandJ.D. Vance, will participate in avice presidential debateon Tuesday, Oct. 1.

source: people.com