Republicans branched out from the broadcast media realm with their choice of moderators for the fourth primary debate.
Wednesday night’s Gabfest will be moderated by SiriusXM radio host Megyn Kelly, Washington Free Beacon editor-in-chief Eliana Johnson and NewsNation anchor Elizabeth Vargas.
A verbal battle between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will take place in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with just six weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses.
Who is Megyn Kelly?
Once one of the biggest stars in cable news, Kelly will moderate the Republican primary debate for the first time since January 2016 — another confrontation that Donald Trump did not attend despite being the front-runner for the party’s nomination.
When asked about the possibility of Trump taking the stage Wednesday night, Kelly recently told The Post, “I’m holding out hope because the Secret Service is down there and checking the place out.”
Megyn Kelly is hoping that Donald Trump will make a surprise appearance at the debate. Getty Images
“But his team said no.”
The Post has since confirmed that Trump will headline a closed campaign fundraiser opposite the debate.
Even in the absence of the 77-year-old, Kelly predicted that “the big winner will likely be Trump unless someone manages to land a knockout.”
After graduating from Syracuse University and Albany Law School, Kelly worked in the legal field for nearly a decade before turning to journalism beginning in 2003, when she was hired as a general assignment reporter by Washington, DC, ABC affiliate WJLA.
The following year, he jumped to Fox News, where he focused on legal and political reporting.
In 2010, Kelly was given her own evening show, “America Live,” which was a hit.
Three years later, he started his own nightly program, “The Kelly File,” anchoring the channel’s election night coverage in 2012 and 2016 alongside political anchor Bret Baier.
For many, the defining moment of Kelly’s FNC tenure occurred during the first Republican debate of the 2016 cycle, held in August 2015.
Questioning Trump about his electability, Kelly said: “You’ve called women you don’t like ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs’ and ‘disgusting animals.'”
When Trump joked in response, “Just Rosie O’Donnell,” Kelly replied: “No, it’s not.”
“Your Twitter account has some derogatory comments about women’s looks,” he continued. “You once told a contestant on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ that it would be a beautiful sight to see him on his knees. Does that sound to you like the kind of man we should elect as president, and how would you respond to accusations from Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, that you are part of a war on women?”
The future president replied: “What I say is what I say. And honestly, Megyn, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’m very nice to you, although I might not be, judging by the way you treat me. But I will not do that.”
Trump boycotted the next debate he moderated with Kelly, days before the 2016 Iowa caucuses, which he lost to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
He moderated three co-debates during the 2016 GOP primary process. Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock
In January 2017, Kelly signed on from Fox News for the last time, accepting an offer from NBC that included the opportunity to host the daytime talk show, “Megyn Kelly Today,” and the current affairs program, “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly.”
However, his stint on the Peacock Network was unsuccessful.
“Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” aired just eight episodes in the summer of 2017 before it was permanently shelved, while “Megyn Kelly Today” was canceled in October 2018 after just 13 months on the air — and three days after Kelly commented on the practice of wearing blackface: ” When I was a kid, that was fine as long as you dressed like the character.”
In January 2019, Kelly reached a severance agreement with NBC, freeing him to pursue other endeavors.
Currently, 53-year-old Kelly hosts his eponymous show on SiriusXM radio.
She and her husband, Douglas, have three children.
Who is Eliana Johnson?
Since September 2019, Eliana Johnson has been the editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative outlet that prides itself on its investigative reporting.
“The goal of the Beacon is to ask questions where conservative ideas are the terrain and not the target,” Johnson told The Post before the debate.
Johnson studied history at Yale University, graduating in 2006.
Eliana Johnson has served as editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon since 2019. PBS
He began his professional life as a producer for Fox News host Sean Hannity, then worked as a staff reporter for the New York Sun before joining National Review as its media editor in 2012.
Two years later, Johnson was promoted to Washington editor of the respected conservative publication before joining Politico as national political reporter after the 2016 election.
He remained there before getting the call to replace the Free Beacon’s founding editor, Matthew Continetti.
In addition to his editorial work, Johnson co-hosts the media-focused podcast “Ink Stained Wretches” with NewsNation political editor Chris Stirewalt.
“I showed up to ask challenging questions of all the candidates,” Johnson said. “The dynamic is entirely up to them. This is their debate and they will decide how they want to interact with the moderator.”
Johnson also paid tribute to his co-moderators, calling them both “total pros”.
Who is Elizabeth Vargas?
Vargas, 61, is a familiar face to many news viewers, having worked in broadcasting for four decades before debuting “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” on NewsNation last April.
A New Jersey native and graduate of the University of Missouri’s prestigious journalism program, Vargas broke into network news at NBC in 1993, working as a reporter for “Dateline” and occasionally filling in for the “Today” and “NBC Nightly News” shows.
Elizabeth Vargas debuted her NewsNation show in April. AFP via Getty Images
Vargas jumped to ABC News in 1996, appearing on “Good Morning America” before being promoted to co-anchor of “20/20 Downtown” and fronting the Saturday edition of “World News Tonight.”
In November 2003, Vargas was tapped to anchor “Sunday Tonight’s World News” and was promoted to “20/20” anchor in May 2004, replacing Barbara Walters.
Beginning in April 2005, with legendary “World News Tonight” host Peter Jennings battling terminal lung cancer, Vargas and Charles Gibson shared fill-in duties.
After months of internal turmoil following Jennings’ death in August, Vargas and Bob Woodruff were named co-anchors in December 2005, with Vargas often joined by Gibson or Diane Sawyer after Woodruff was injured in January 2006 by a roadside bomb while covering the Iraq War.
NewsNation is the TV news network that hosted the fourth Republican debate. Getty Images
In May 2006, Vargas resigned from “World News Tonight” and was replaced by Gibson, who had reportedly threatened to quit ABC News if he was not given the top job.
Vargas returned to “20/20,” but made the news again in 2013, when ABC publicly confirmed reports that he had sought treatment for alcoholism.
He revealed his affliction in January 2014, eventually writing the book “Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction,” which was published in September 2016.
In May 2018, Vargas left ABC after signing a deal with A&E Networks to anchor the investigative series. In March 2021, he was chosen to host the revival of “America’s Most Wanted” on Fox.
Now, the Emmy and Peabody Award winner will moderate a presidential debate for the first time.
“It’s time for these candidates, just six weeks out from the Iowa caucuses, and we’ve seen both DeSantis and Haley sharpen their attacks on each other on the campaign trail,” he told The Post.
All four candidates who appeared on stage for the third debate have qualified for tonight’s debate. AFP via Getty Images
Vargas added that he “loved” working with his co-moderator over the past few weeks to refine questions for candidates.
“It’s a real team effort — and we’re surprisingly on the same page on almost everything. It’s actually really great,” he said.
The fourth Republican debate will take place in the Frank Moody Music Building at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and begins at 8pm ET.
The debate can be seen on NewsNation across the US and will also be broadcast live in the Eastern and Central time zones on the CW Network (Channel 11 in the New York area).
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
