Climate denial fuels right-wing attacks on vice presidential debate moderators
Media Matters / Andrea Austria

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Climate denial fuels right-wing attacks on vice presidential debate moderators

Special Programs Climate & Energy

Written by Evlondo Cooper

Research contributions from Ilana Berger

Published

CBS' October 1 vice presidential debate put climate change front and center, breaking from recent debates that sidelined the issue. In the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastating path across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, moderators Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan pressed candidates on specific climate plans and reinforced the scientific consensus on climate change's role in intensifying hurricanes. 

This approach promptly drew criticism from right-wing media figures and online influencers who argued that CBS had overemphasized climate at the expense of covering issues like the economy and immigration. These critics, many of whom have previously questioned climate science, disregarded both the context of Helene's destruction and increasing public concern over climate impacts. Their responses often employed familiar narratives of climate skepticism and attempted to challenge the scientific information presented by the moderators, illustrating right wing media's ongoing resistance to substantive climate discussions.

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  • Hurricane Helene's climate signals and public concern contradict right-wing media claims about climate change's relevance to the debate

    • Hurricane Helene made landfall as the strongest storm ever to hit Florida's Big Bend region, with top sustained winds of 140 mph. This continues a trend of increasingly powerful storms, with Helene being the eighth Category 4 or 5 hurricane to hit the U.S. in the past eight years. The storm underwent rapid intensification fueled by “exceptionally warm” Gulf waters, 1-2°C above average. Researchers estimate that this warming, largely attributed to climate change, increased Helene's destructive power by 40-50%. Helene set new storm surge records along Florida's west coast, breaking records set just last year. An attribution study found that similar cyclones are up to 20% wetter and 7% windier in the present climate compared to the past. [Yale Climate Connections, 9/27/24; Grist, 9/26/24; The Washington Post, 9/28/24; World Weather Attribution, 9/30/24]
    • According to CBS News polling, 70% of Americans — including over 60% of Republicans under 45 — favor taking steps to reduce climate change impacts. This aligns with a recent Pew Research Center survey showing 74% of Americans support U.S. participation in international climate efforts. The Pew survey also found that 71% of Americans expect to make at least minor sacrifices in their lives due to climate change. [CBS News, 4/21/24; Pew Research Center, 10/25/23]
    • The 2024 debates occurred against a backdrop of escalating climate-related disasters, highlighting that the next president will be a climate president. The year 2023 was the hottest on record, with 2024 experiencing record-breaking heat as well. Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern United States just before the vice presidential debate, starkly demonstrating the brutal reality of climate-fueled extreme weather. The mounting climate crisis ensures that whoever wins the election will face critical decisions on climate policy. [Grist, 10/2/24; Media Matters, 6/25/24]

  • Fox News, among other conservative outlets, attacked CBS' debate moderators for asking climate questions and highlighting the proven connection between hurricanes and climate change

    • Fox host Lawrence Jones criticized the moderators for focusing too much on climate change instead of other voter priorities. “They spent way more time on climate change than the number one issue on voters' minds. I wanted to hear the response. Let's have a back and forth. Sometimes you got to go off script. I know they wanted to get all the questions in, but something so important on the top of voters' minds, maybe spend a little more time on that and not climate change.” [Fox News, Fox and Friends, 10/2/24]
    • Fox's Greg Gutfeld falsely accused the moderators of assuming there is a link between climate change and hurricanes without evidence. He also suggested that the moderators were uninformed about climate issues: "'Overwhelming consensus on climate change,' that's as much as Norah O'Donnell has ever read about the climate, and she doesn't believe there is any expectation that she has to read more about anything." [Fox News, The Five, 10/2/24]
    • Fox's Sean Hannity claimed the moderators were biased and prioritized climate change over more pressing issues. “Two very liberal, left-wing, arrogant, pompous moderators who were clearly trying to tip the scales in Tim Walz's favor. Almost every question tainted with Democratic talking points. There was a question about climate change before any mention of the economy or illegal immigration.” [Fox News, Hannity, 10/2/24]
    • Matthew Continetti dismissed the proven connection between climate change and hurricanes and criticized moderators for making it. “But climate change, that is not a primary or secondary issue in my mind in concern to this devastation brought by the hurricane. But that's what the moderators did on question two. And so, from that point on, I said, 'Well, it's three on one.'” [Salem Radio Network, The Hugh Hewitt Show, 10/3/24]

  • Right-wing media figures reacted poorly on social media to accurate climate questions in vice presidential debate

    • Right-wing host Benny Johnson criticized the debate format and fact-checking: “Moderators start debate with 3 straight questions about ‘climate change’ and a smarmy fact check. Republicans need to simply say ‘no’ to rigged debates.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Former Fox News producer Kyle Becker called climate change questions a waste: “Three questions in and we're already getting VP debate questions about the Climate Hoax. Public opinion polling shows that virtually zero Americans think this is a priority. Waste of a question.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Daily Wire host Matt Walsh dismissed climate change as a debate topic: “It’s ridiculous to waste time in a debate talking about ‘climate change.’” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Will Cain criticized the focus on climate change: “People are suffering…still missing in NC…wondering who is coming to help…wondering about their government…and the debate here is whether climate change is a hoax!?” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24] 
    • Sinclair host Sharyl Attkisson accused moderators of bias: “Once again, moderators taking the biased position regarding climate change as if there is no debate.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Right-wing radio producer and podcast host Duane Patterson decried supposed moderator bias: “Norah O'Donnell jumps in with the fact-check/editorializing comment to reinforce the left's view of climate change. it will be a 3-1 debate, apparently.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Meteorology student and social media figure Chris Martz disputed climate change's real impact on hurricanes: “FACT-CHECK = FALSE. They need an actual meteorologist on that debate stage. This is awful. @NorahODonnell: ‘Scientists say climate change makes these hurricanes larger, stronger and more deadly because of the historic rainfall.’ There is absolutely zero evidence that climate change makes hurricanes larger in size (i.e., diameter).” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Right-wing account Oilfield Rando falsely claimed climate change is a low priority for voters: “‘Climate change’ consistently ranks in the bottom of voter concerns and yet it’s a direct question in every single debate because Narrative.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly questioned the timing of the climate change question: “Did she really just turn Helene into a CLIMATE CHANGE Q & ask it on the SECOND q of the debate?” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Former Trump official and meteorologist Ryan Maue disputed CBS News' climate reporting: “Fact check:  CBS News. No evidence in a trend either way of hurricanes become larger due to climate change. CBS News is not where you should go for accurate or authoritative information on climate change.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Conservative journalist and Truth in Media founder Ben Swann called the climate questions “ridiculous”: “JD Vance just delivered a MASTERCLASS on how to handle the corporate media in response to CBS’ ridiculous question on ‘climate change.’” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Media Research Center's Curtis Houck accused CBS of ignoring hurricane victims: “Insane question from CBS' Norah O'Donnell casting aside the suffering in North Carolina and the American south due to #HurricaneHelene to INSTEAD make it ALL ABOUT climate change in the #VPDebate:...” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Power the Future founder Daniel Turner denied the existence of the climate crisis: “JD Vance flips the script on CBS and their attempt at a climate change gotcha question. There is no climate crisis. #VPDebate.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Conservative website Townhall.com mocked CBS' climate change stance: “CBS News: OF COURSE climate change is real!” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Right-wing commentator John Cardillo called CBS' climate commentary “weird”: “CBS adding commentary on bogus ‘climate change’ was just weird.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Conservative podcast host Keith Malinak (“Just Keith” on X) criticized CBS' fact-checking: “Holy shit, CBS! You just ‘fact checked’ with a climate change disclaimer like we see under YouTube videos. Please do, suck it.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam suggested CBS misrepresented voter priorities: “Americans: ‘Climate change is our 18th priority.’ CBS: ‘LeTs mAkE iT tHe sEcOnD qUesTiOn!’” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]
    • Popular conservative troll account Catturd accused CBS of blaming hurricanes on climate change: “OMG - CBS  is blaming the hurricanes on climate change - F.U.C.K CBS You evil demons.” [Twitter/X, 10/1/24]