Staff Reports
In a development that would make any reality TV show look tame, the upcoming presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is set to unfold under the watchful eye of Dana Walden, a high-ranking Disney executive with a well-documented fondness for the Harris campaign. As co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, Walden oversees ABC News, the very network that is set to hold what could be the only debate featuring Trump and Harris this September. Coincidence? Maybe. But when a company’s leadership donates to one candidate while deciding who wins the debate, it raises a few eyebrows.
Walden, with a political history that includes years of backing Harris—from her 2003 run for San Francisco District Attorney up to now—has quite the cozy relationship with the Vice President. Not only do their husbands go back to the 1980s, but the friendship has blossomed into soirees at the Waldens’ upscale Los Angeles abode, where weekend mixers apparently double as political fundraising opportunities. Interestingly, Harris has jokingly credited the Waldens with her marital success, suggesting that the couple played matchmaker for her and her husband, Doug Emhoff. If that isn’t evidence of a close bond, what is?
NEW: Disney Executive Overseeing Trump-Kamala Debate Is A Harris Donor, Longtime Friend https://t.co/L7fBMquz2c
— Brian Craig 🇺🇸 (@BrianCraigShow) August 14, 2024
Despite this strong connection, ABC News is reassuring the public that everything is above board. The network claims that Walden is too busy managing the vast Disney empire to interfere with actual editorial decisions. They insist that a highly-trained team of journalists ensures the integrity of their reporting. But when the person at the helm holding the purse strings is a known donor to one of the candidates, it’s hard for the average viewer not to raise an eyebrow in skepticism.
In a further twist, while Trump has readily agreed to multiple debates, Harris has decided to stick to just the ABC News event, largely ignoring other invitations—including one from Fox News. It appears strategizing to avoid tough questions is the name of the game for Harris. Which brings the question to the forefront: is she really up for the challenge, or is this a carefully curated environment where her benefactor can help guide the narrative?
Harris has been notably quiet in recent weeks, having not participated in a formal media interview since President Biden endorsed her, leaving the public to wonder if this will be a debate or an elaborate game of dodgeball. Given the cozy ties and the stakes involved, one can only hope the challenges of moderating won’t be as scripted as the latest Disney story. In the realm where politics meet entertainment, the truth might be scarier than fiction.
