In a notable episode during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate, CBS News momentarily silenced the microphones of candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz.

This incident highlighted the ongoing challenges media face in moderating political debates, particularly in addressing misleading statements in real-time—a task that has proven contentious and complicated.

During a discussion on immigration, Republican candidate JD Vance was interrupted by moderator Margaret Brennan for a fact check, sparking one of the night’s more tense moments.

Vance had referred to the impact of illegal immigrants in American cities like Springfield, Ohio, when Brennan clarified that the Haitians in Springfield were, in fact, legal immigrants. Vance contested the interruption, emphasizing the importance of accurate representation of facts.

Moderation and Fact-Checking Dynamics

The debate protocol, as stated by CBS News, originally left the responsibility of fact-checking to the candidates, with moderators Brennan and Norah O’Donnell there to facilitate rather than intervene.

However, the execution seemed to blur these lines, leading to an instance where both candidates were muted during their verbal clash, leaving the audience briefly without audio.

Previous Debates and Fact-Checking Controversies

This incident is not isolated, reflecting a broader dilemma within political broadcasting. Similar issues arose in last month’s presidential debate, where Donald Trump was corrected multiple times by moderators, a move that did not sit well with him or his supporters.

The practice of on-air fact-checking by moderators has been inconsistent across different networks and debates, leading to varied viewer experiences.

The debate also ventured into sensitive topics like abortion, where the candidates disputed the interpretation of Minnesota law regarding post-abortion procedures. Vance labeled the law as “barbaric” based on his reading, while Walz refuted this interpretation.

The lack of immediate clarification on such crucial issues left viewers to sift through conflicting statements on their own, with CBS directing them to its online fact-check site for more details.