Fox Business host Stuart Varney defended Fox News colleague Chris Wallace on Thursday during an interview with President Trump, who criticized Wallace’s performance as moderator of the first presidential debate.
Trump accused the veteran journalist of protecting Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the Sept. 29 debate. He told Varney that Wallace wouldn’t let Biden answer any of the questions he posed to Biden during the debate.
“[Biden] was choking. He couldn’t answer those questions. Chris Wallace protected him. I lost a lot of respect for Chris Wallace,” Trump said.
“In defense of Chris Wallace, my colleague, I would say that you didn’t make his job any easier. You did interrupt a lot,” Varney shot back.
“I did because what Biden was saying was all false stuff,” Trump replied. “I interrupted because if you don’t interrupt people are going to believe it. It’s just the way it is.”
Wallace said after the debate that Trump “bears the primary responsibility for what happened” in repeatedly interrupting Biden, who also interrupted the president, though not nearly as often.
“I had baked this beautiful, delicious cake and then frankly the president put his foot in it,” Wallace said. “That was frustrating. It was frustrating for me, because I tried hard to prepare for a serious debate, much more frustrating — and more importantly — for the American people because they didn’t get the debate they wanted that they deserved.”
Trump and Biden are scheduled to debate on Oct. 22, with NBC’s Kristen Welker moderating.
The second presidential debate had been scheduled for Thursday evening, but Trump refused to participate after debate organizers said the event would be held remotely due to health concerns over the president’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis.