TV News Decides Who Won the Presidential Debate

When presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush debated on TV, something interesting happened. The debate ended, but then TV news experts started talking about who won. These media experts shared their opinions with millions of viewers across America. Their views might be more important than what the candidates actually said during the debate.

TV networks like ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox News showed the debate in a special way. They used split screens during parts of the debate. One half of the screen showed the candidate who was talking. The other half showed his opponent listening and reacting.

Different news channels had different opinions about who won the debate. Fox News experts said Bush did well and didn't make mistakes. ABC News expert George Stephanopoulos thought Gore was the winner. The candidates' running mates also praised their own teams.

Before the debate, TV experts set expectations for each candidate. They decided what each person needed to do to succeed. After the debate, networks held meetings with voters to get their opinions. The news coverage of the debate might influence how people vote more than the actual debate itself.