'Smear and spin': Trump allies outraged over CNN vowing to 'fact check' parties at debate

Donald Trump is going to be fact checked at the debate scheduled for Thursday with President Joe Biden, but the ex-president's staunchest allies are upset.

Trump has continually said he has no fears about debating Biden, but Team Trump has grown increasingly frantic in the lead-up to the first debate, raising allegations that Biden will be drugged up and that the moderators will be on the president's side.

Now, they are upset that the former president will be subject to verification of potentially dubious claims.

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It started with Daniel Dale, a senior reporter at CNN, making a comment about the event.

"Hello old pals! It’s been a delightful many months of not-tweeting, really couldn’t recommend more highly, but I’ll be tweeting some fact checks during the debate," he said Wednesday. "I’ll also be on CNN TV post-debate, and our team will have a detailed running fact check on the CNN site and app."

One user, @socratic_badger, asked, "Does anyone actually still believe fact-checkers are unbiased?"

@sooo_nance wrote, "No one cares about fact checks."

@Gigi12341983135 said, "Make sure you fact check Biden and his lies," despite the fact that Dale never specified he was only fact checking one contestant.

@Lynnrx52 wrote, "Your fact checking needs fact checked. You really shouldn’t."

Trump adviser Stephen Miller also joined the chorus of voices opposing the fact checks.

"CNN pledges to 'fact check' Trump all night -- i.e. lie, smear and spin for Biden," said Miller, a controversial figure from Trump's first term.

One user, @KevinlyFather, called Miller out on the stance.

"Interesting that you immediately get upset that the CNN team is going to fact-check Trump. He didn't say it was only Trump," the user wrote. "Are you going to cry that he's fact-checking Biden too? Or do you think that only Trump should be fact checked?"

Hello old pals! It’s been a delightful many months of not-tweeting, really couldn’t recommend more highly, but I’ll be tweeting some fact checks during the debate.

I’ll also be on CNN TV post-debate, and our team will have a detailed running fact check on the CNN site and app.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 27, 2024