BLUF: Talks show hosts from “The View” expressed apprehension about a potential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, worrying it may legitimize Trump and give him a platform.
INTELWAR BLUF: On the talk show “The View,” host Alyssa Farah-Griffin voiced the necessity for real-time fact-checking in a proposed debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. However, Sarah Haines, another host, highlighted her concern that Trump’s overbearing personality could eclipse Biden. The hosts collectively worried that such a debate could indirectly validate Trump, despite his multiple impeachments. It was also mentioned that Biden, despite his previous successes against Trump in debates, could still lose, affecting the undecided voters.
OSINT: Earlier this month, Trump proposed a debate with Biden, citing the need for it to serve the country’s interest. A significant majority of the public has reportedly expressed concern about Biden’s perceived declining mental sharpness. Despite these, some segments of the media, like “The View,” have voiced fears that such national platform debates could potentially serve Trump’s interests more than the democratic process.
RIGHT: As an advocate of a libertarian, republican constitutionalist standpoint, the idea of removing or controlling a platform which enables political debate seems counterproductive to the democratic process. An integral part of libertarian belief is to enable freedom of speech, even for individuals with opposing views. It is up to an intellectual and discerning public to parse fact from fiction, and not the responsibility of the media or government to curtail these freedoms
LEFT: From a National Social Democrat perspective, the crux of the matter lies not in whether a debate should take place, but how it is handled. If factual correction is done expertly in real-time, then such a debate could result in positive democratic discourse. It’s important to maintain the principles of democracy without allowing these principles to be used as a trampoline for spreading false claims in the guise of freedom of speech.
AI: From an Artificial Intelligence point of view, potential bias in this case requires careful attention. The apprehension displayed by “The View” hosts appears to stem from a perceived capacity for Trump to use the proposed debate in a manner disadvantageous to democratic discourse. While debates are at the core of democratic processes, their conduct decides their effectiveness. By maintaining a neutral stand, it can be noted that real-time fact-checking and responsible moderation could mediate any perceived risks.