In a recent ABC presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris mistakenly stated that no U.S. military personnel were stationed in combat zones, a claim later debunked by journalist Martha Raddatz.
Fox News reported that during the ABC-hosted presidential debate on September 10, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris made a striking statement regarding the presence of U.S. military personnel in conflict areas.
Responding to questions about national security and military deployments, Harris declared, "There is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, the first time this century."
This assertion was immediately questioned, considering the ongoing global military involvement of the United States.
ABC News journalists David Muir and Linsey Davis, who moderated the debate, had a challenging night navigating through the claims of the candidates, including former President Donald Trump.
Post-debate, ABC's seasoned foreign correspondent Martha Raddatz addressed Harris's claim in an in-depth interview.
Raddatz, renowned for her defense and foreign affairs expertise, highlighted that contrary to Harris's statements, there are significant numbers of U.S. troops actively stationed in combat zones.
"Our fact-checkers found that to be false. There are currently 900 U.S. military personnel in Syria and 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq. All have been under regular threat from drones and missiles for months. We also have action in the Red Sea. Also, every single day, the Navy SEALs, and Delta Forces special operators can be part of any sort of deadly raid," Raddatz reported.
The moderators' approach to fact-checking during the debate also drew scrutiny. While Trump faced multiple fact-check interventions, similar scrutiny was not applied to Harris during the event. This discrepancy was later attributed to previous criticisms faced by moderators at a CNN debate involving President Biden, as stated by Linsey Davis in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Following Raddatz's corrections, discussions ensued with various political figures, including Governor Maura Healey, a staunch Harris ally. When questioned about the factual inaccuracies in Harris's statements, Healey focused on Harris's capabilities as a leader rather than the misinformation.
"I think what’s important here, Martha, is that Kamala Harris, in contrast to Donald Trump, demonstrated herself to be commander in chief. We are in a world where there are all sorts of conflicts, and it’s all the more reason we need somebody who’s serious and who supports the military," Healey remarked.
Healey further criticized Trump’s stance towards the military, contrasting it with Harris's respectful approach.
"Donald Trump calls them suckers and losers," stated Healey, reaffirming her support for Harris by adding, "Kamala Harris, she respects our military, she respects our service members."
Alongside national security, the debate touched on other critical areas such as abortion rights, with Harris reiterating her commitment to restoring Roe v. Wade principles. Healey, supporting Harris's stance, mentioned, "What she said is, ‘let’s go back to Roe.’"
The debate and subsequent interviews underscore the complex landscape of U.S. politics, where factual accuracy, political allegiance, and policy stances intertwine, influencing public perception and voter trust.
The event highlighted not only the different approaches of the candidates to national and international issues but also the responsibilities of moderators in ensuring factual accuracy during such debates.