In her latest media takedown, conservative commentator Candace Owens has sether sights on two of ABC’s top news anchors: David Muir and Linsey Davis. Knownfor her sharp criticism of mainstream media, Owens didn’t hold back, calling theduo “a disgrace to their profession” following their moderation of a recenthigh-profile political debate. The critique, delivered with Owens’ trademarkno-nonsense style, has sparked heated discussions across social media, wheresupporters and detractors alike are weighing in on whether the anchors crossedthe line from unbiased journalism into partisan cheerleading.
Owens, who has built a significant following by critiquing what she calls “wokeculture” and biased reporting, zeroed in on Muir and Davis after their performanceduring the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. The debate, alreadymired in controversy, became even more of a media circus as Owens took toTwitter to blast the ABC moderators for what she perceived as a one-sidedapproach to their roles.
“David Muir and Linsey Davis are a disgrace to journalism,” Owens tweeted. “Whatwe witnessed wasn’t moderation—it was a blatant attempt to help Kamala Harris.They didn’t even pretend to be impartial.”
This isn’t Owens’ first rodeo when it comes to battling the mainstream media. Overthe years, she has become a lightning rod for both support and outrage, neverhesitating to call out what she views as the left-wing bias permeating major newsnetworks. However, her decision to target Muir and Davis, both widely regarded asrespected news anchors, has added fuel to an already fiery discourse surroundingmedia impartiality.
During the debate in question, Muir and Davis fact-checked Donald Trumprepeatedly, a move that Owens and other conservative figures argued wasunnecessary and partisan. While fact-checking has become a norm in modernpolitical discourse, Owens claimed that the moderators focused excessively onTrump, allowing Kamala Harris to avoid scrutiny for some of her own statements.
“They treated Kamala Harris like a guest on The View—all softball questions andfree passes,” Owens said in a follow-up video posted to her YouTube channel.“Meanwhile, Trump couldn’t get two words out before they jumped in to fact-checkhim. It was a joke.”
Owens’ critique of the debate moderation has resonated with many on the right,who argue that the mainstream media has long been biased in favor of Democrats.Her comments have quickly gone viral, sparking a flurry of responses from both hersupporters and those who vehemently disagree with her stance.
As expected, Owens’ comments didn’t go unnoticed by the mainstream media,with several outlets defending Muir and Davis against her accusations. ABC Newsresponded indirectly, stating that the network’s moderators were simply doing theirjob by ensuring that the candidates were held accountable for their statements.
“Moderators have a responsibility to fact-check candidates, especially whenmisinformation is spread,” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement. “David Muirand Linsey Davis performed their duties professionally and impartially, as theyalways do.”
However, Owens and her supporters weren’t buying it. They argue that the media’sidea of “fact-checking” has become synonymous with attacking conservativeviewpoints while giving liberal candidates a free pass.
“What they call ‘fact-checking’ is really just interrupting one side and letting theother slide,” Owens said during a guest appearance on a conservative podcast. “Ifyou’re going to fact-check, do it equally. Don’t pretend you’re being neutral wheneveryone can see you’re playing favorites.”
Her comments have sparked broader discussions about the role of debatemoderators and the fine line they must walk between holding candidatesaccountable and appearing biased. While some agree that Muir and Davis mayhave been too aggressive with Trump, others argue that fact-checking is crucial intoday’s media landscape, especially when misinformation can spread quicklyonline.
As with most things involving Candace Owens, her comments ignited a socialmedia firestorm. Hashtags like #DisgraceToJournalism and#StandWithMuirAndDavis began trending, with both sides of the political spectrumdigging in their heels.
“Candace Owens is just upset because her guy didn’t get away with lying on stage,”tweeted one user in defense of Muir and Davis. “Fact-checking is part of ajournalist’s job. If she doesn’t like it, maybe she should turn off the TV.”
Meanwhile, Owens’ supporters were quick to point out what they saw as a doublestandard in media coverage. “Candace is right,” tweeted a conservativecommentator. “If this was a debate with Joe Biden, the moderators would’vetreated him like a fragile egg, scared to push back too hard. But with Trump, it’sopen season.”
This isn’t the first time Owens has criticized media figures for what she perceivesas unfair treatment of conservatives, but this particular battle has gained significanttraction, largely because Muir and Davis are considered by many to be among themore even-handed voices in broadcast news. Owens, however, remains unfazed bytheir reputations.
“Just because someone’s been in the industry a long time doesn’t mean they’rebeyond reproach,” she said. “The fact is, Muir and Davis have shown their truecolors, and the American public deserves better than biased moderators posing asneutral journalists.”
For David Muir and Linsey Davis, life at ABC continues. Despite Owens’ fierycritique, both anchors remain at the top of their game, with Muir anchoring WorldNews Tonight and Davis continuing to cover major events for the network. Neitheranchor has publicly responded to Owens’ remarks, choosing instead to let thestory run its course without further fueling the controversy.
However, if history is any indication, Owens isn’t likely to let this one go anytimesoon. She has a knack for keeping her criticisms in the spotlight, and it’s possiblethat this media battle will continue to simmer in conservative circles.
“I’m not going to stop calling out hypocrisy just because someone’s got a fancytitle,” Owens concluded in her video. “Muir and Davis had a chance to show vs thatthe mainstream media could be fair and impartial. They blew it.”
Whether or not this latest controversy will have any long-term effects on Muir andDavis remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Candace Owens has once againstirred the pot, and as always, she’s loving every minute of it.