Is Lester Holt a Democrat or Republican?
By Buckie Wells
While the first Presidential Debate 2016 is designed to help America understand the candidates better, it’s also important to know who the moderator, Lester Holt, is.
The first presidential debate takes place on Monday, September 26. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton will go head-to-head on three different topics chosen by the moderator. This Monday, the moderator will be NBC anchor Lester Holt. His three chosen topics for the evening will be America’s Direction, Achieving Prosperity and Securing America.
Each candidate has vocalized their stance on each topic in the past, but the format of presidential debates dedicates only 15 minutes to each subject. It’s up to Lester Holt to keep everyone focused on the question at hand.
Earlier this week, Donald Trump called Holt’s ethics into question. By identifying Holt as a Democrat, he basically stated that the debate would be rigged against him.
His exact words were:
"“Look, it’s a phony system. Lester is a Democrat. I mean, they are all Democrats. Okay? It’s a very unfair system.”"
But, here’s the kicker — Lester Holt is a registered Republican. So, he’s affiliated with the same party as Donald Trump.
Of course, it would defeat the purpose if a moderator leaned toward one candidate over the other. His responsibility is to make sure each candidate’s point comes across clearly to the American public and that each question is answered accordingly. Even those unfamiliar with the platforms of either side should be able to understand each candidate’s position on Monday. Basically, Holt acts on behalf of the audience, not the candidates or a political party.
Furthermore, the Wall Street Journal reports that Hillary Clinton currently leads the polls. Thus, if anyone needs to make a great impression on Monday, it’s Mr. Trump. Still, candidates have had problems with interviewers in the past.
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Hopefully, Lester Holt will do a good job and the audience will understand the candidates a bit more once the debate is over. Tune in on Monday, September 26 at 9 p.m. ET to catch the first Presidential Debate 2016.