Dana Bash and Jake Tapper are set to moderate the CNN Presidential Debate tonight. Many radio hosts around the nation have been critical of the pair for their perceived biases against former President Donald Trump.
We asked a variety of news/talk hosts to share one question they would ask of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden on Thursday.
77 WABC morning host Sid Rosenberg has never been shy in his praise of Trump. That’s why, when asked for what his question would be, he geared his query toward Biden.
“Whether it’s domestic, the economy, crime, race relations, or foreign policy, tell me one thing you’ve done that you can boast tonight is better than what Trump did when he was President for four years. Just one,” Rosenberg said. “Because, if he’s honest, he can’t tell ’em even one. Use your personal attacks, call (Trump) a convicted felon, fantastic. As the President of the United States, tell me one thing that you can say ‘I was better than President Trump.’ That would be my question.”
Rosenberg wasn’t the only news/talk radio host asked for a question that took the opportunity to present a question directed squarely at President Biden.
700 WLW midday host Bill Cunningham offered a challenge explicitly for the current commander-in-chief. “President Biden — tell me the name of your Defense Secretary. Your HHS secretary. And your Secretary of State,” obviously playing off the idea that the 46th President is in cognitive decline.
On the flip side, some radio hosts wanted the opportunity to ask questions directly to the former President.
620 WTMJ midday host Steve Scaffidi was in that camp.
“Have you ever acknowledged to anyone — privately or publicly — that you actually lost the election in 2020?”
In a similar tone, former WGN Radio and WLS-AM 890 host Steve Cochran had a question for both candidates.
“Is it ok to lie to the American people?,” he said. Cochran added that his question “creates absolute distinction between the two, and you know the answers would make news and maybe move a voter or two.”
Similarly to Cochran, 820 WBAP midday host Casey Bartholomew shared that his question would be “Why do politicians seem incapable of telling the truth about anything?”
Other hosts asked for a question focused on the economy
“Americans think grocery and gas prices are too high. What’s your specific plan to bring those prices down?,” Newsradio 1040 WHO morning host Jeff Angelo said would be his question.
600 KOGO afternoon host Lou Penrose offered a similar question.
“Since you guys clearly don’t go to grocery stores, how do you feel the pain of the people that have been to the grocery store? I think that’s a great question. I’d love to ask the question of both of them,” Penrose said. “I think that’s a fair question for Trump. He definitely has no problem being rich. He likes being rich. And Biden pretends that he’s poor. All the time. He’s constantly talking about Scranton and coal mines, but then you see he refinanced his house for $5 million. Since neither one of them go to the grocery store, how do you stay connected to people that do?”
After many questions about the economy and partisan questions from opinion hosts, we called in the experts.
When asked what his question for the debate would be, WTOP afternoon news anchor Shawn Anderson delivered a question that would be certain to put both candidates on their heels.
“This week, thousands of people stormed the Parliament in Nairobi, Kenya, threatened lawmakers, and set part of the building on fire. The protestors were angry over a controversial finance bill passed by the lawmakers that would raise taxes. Police opened fire with tear gas and live bullets on the protesters and killed at least five. Kenya’s president has now decided to not sign the bill,” Anderson began. “Do you condone this form of protest by citizens unhappy with their government? And do you condone the deadly force used by Kenyan police?”
The first presidential debate will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. It is scheduled to last for 90 minutes, and will also be available on NBC, MSNBC, FOX, Fox News, Scripps News, Spectrum News, Newsmax, PBS, and can be heard on radio from Fox News Radio affiliates.
