Facing some difficulty in declaring Donald Trump the outright winner of the first presidential debate, many Republicans and conservatives instead took to Twitter on Monday night to attack the moderator, Lester Holt.
Despite Trump’s assertion that the NBC News anchor would be biased since he is a Democrat (Holt is, in fact, a registered Republican), the GOP nominee reportedly found Holt’s moderation Monday “very fair.” Trump told CNN, “I thought Lester Holt did a great job”:
#Break: Donald Trump just told me: "I thought to Lester Holt did a great job. … I thought the questions were very fair."
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) September 27, 2016
Trump’s fans, however, saw Holt’s performance somewhat differently, after Trump stumbled on basic questions about his record and his responses were notably short on specific policy proposals:
Rudy Giuliani told us that if he were Trump, he wouldn't do more debates bc of the moderator https://t.co/5b8JVRdtqh
— Matt Negrin, HOST OF HARDBALL AT 7PM ON MSNBC (@MattNegrin) September 27, 2016
5 Times Lester Holt Shilled for Hillary Clinton at First Debate https://t.co/WKfELqDzKK
— Chuck Woolery Tribute (@chuckwoolery) September 27, 2016
Lester Holt train of thought right now:
Tax returns- ck
Birth Cert- ckEmails? Health? Benghazi?
(Oops we ran out of time)— 🇺🇸 ERIC BOLLING 🇺🇸 (@ericbolling) September 27, 2016
I don’t like complaining about the moderators but pointing out obvious bias by @LesterHoltNBC at #FirstPresidentialDebate is just plain fact
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) September 27, 2016
I am convinced Lester Holt is on the payroll of the Clinton campaign. 15 mins on a artificial "birther issue"
Nothing on her crimes
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 27, 2016
1/6 Lester Holt clearly heard cries of his colleagues in the liberal media to be tough on Trump & ease up on Hillary loud and clear. #debate
— Brent Bozell (@BrentBozell) September 27, 2016
Lester Holt negative questions to Trump:
Tax Returns
Birther issue
Iraq War
Hillary Presidential LooksNegative questions to Clinton:
None— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) September 27, 2016
I used to like Lester Holt, felt pleased when he got the anchor chair. No more. What a transparent hack tonight! Hope Hillary tipped him.
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) September 27, 2016
Provably biased: Lester Holt tries to throw debate https://t.co/vQ1hqwzyX7 pic.twitter.com/paVZxtOBJ9
— Red Alert Politics (@RedAlert) September 27, 2016