Politics moves fast. One minute everyone is talking about the top of the ticket, and the next, you're staring at your TV wondering who these people in the suits are and why they keep cutting the microphones. If you've been searching for who is moderating the vp debate, you’re likely looking for the heavy hitters who have to keep the peace when the vice presidential hopefuls start talking over each other.
Honestly, the role is a bit of a thankless job. You’ve got millions of people watching, two politicians trying to pivot every question back to their talking points, and a producer screaming in your earpiece about time slots. In the most recent high-stakes showdown, the task fell to two of the most seasoned journalists in the business: Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan.
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The CBS Power Duo
CBS News didn't mess around when it came to the 2024 face-off between JD Vance and Tim Walz. They sent in their varsity squad.
Norah O’Donnell is basically a staple of evening news. She's the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News. You've probably seen her interviewing everyone from Pope Francis to sitting presidents. She has this way of asking a question that sounds polite but actually corners you. She’s been doing this for nearly three decades, so she isn't easily rattled by a candidate trying to dodge a "yes" or "no" question.
Then you have Margaret Brennan. She moderates Face the Nation, which is one of those Sunday morning shows where politicians go to get grilled before they've even finished their coffee. Brennan is the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent. She’s spent years reporting from places like Tehran and Baghdad, so a debate stage in New York is probably a walk in the park for her.
Why the Moderators Became the Story
Kinda funny how the moderators sometimes end up being the ones people tweet about the most. During the Vance-Walz debate, things got spicy. At one point, Brennan tried to clarify a point about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, and Vance shot back that the moderators weren't supposed to be "fact-checking."
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It was a whole thing.
The microphones actually got cut. That’s a move you don’t see often. Usually, the moderators just keep saying "Thank you, Senator" until the person stops talking, but CBS decided to literally silence the audio. It was a bold choice. It showed that when you're asking who is moderating the vp debate, you aren't just looking for a name—you’re looking for the person who has the "off" switch.
What Goes Into Picking These People?
It’s not like they just pull names out of a hat. The networks and the Commission on Presidential Debates (or the campaigns, depending on how the deals are struck) look for specific traits:
- Massive Live Experience: You can't put a rookie on that stage. If something goes wrong—a technical glitch or a candidate having a "moment"—the moderator has to keep the ship upright.
- Subject Matter Expertise: Brennan’s foreign policy background was huge. When the debate shifted to the Middle East, she knew exactly when a candidate was being vague.
- Neutrality (Or the Appearance of It): This is the hard part. In today's world, everyone gets accused of bias. The goal for someone like O'Donnell is to be equally tough on both sides so that the post-debate complaining is balanced.
What Most People Get Wrong About Moderating
Most people think the moderator is there to "win" or to prove the candidate wrong. That’s not really it. If a moderator talks too much, they’ve failed. They’re basically a high-end traffic cop. Their job is to make sure the candidates actually address the prompt instead of just reciting the stump speech they’ve given 400 times in Iowa.
Brennan once compared preparing for a debate to "cramming for a final exam." You have to know the candidates' voting records better than they do. You have to anticipate their pivots.
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Actionable Insights for the Next Debate
If you’re watching a future debate and want to judge the moderators fairly, keep an eye on these things:
- The Follow-up: Does the moderator let a non-answer slide, or do they ask the same question again?
- Time Management: Are they cutting off one person more than the other?
- Fact-Checking: This is the big controversy. Some people want the moderator to call out lies in real-time; others think the candidates should be the ones to correct each other. Keep an eye on which philosophy the moderator chooses.
Knowing who is moderating the vp debate gives you a head start on what the "vibe" of the night will be. A Margaret Brennan debate is going to be policy-heavy and focused on the nitty-gritty. A debate moderated by someone like Dana Bash or Jake Tapper might have a different, more confrontational energy.
Next time a debate is announced, check the moderator's recent interviews. If they’ve been hammering a specific topic on their Sunday show, there’s a 90% chance that topic is showing up on the debate stage.
To get the most out of the next political cycle, follow the official press releases from the major networks (CBS, ABC, CNN, and NBC) about three weeks before the event. They usually announce the moderator and the specific "ground rules" around the same time. This helps you understand whether there will be a live audience, if microphones will be muted, and how much "prodding" the moderators are allowed to do.