NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker is being praised today for her calm, able performance moderating the final presidential debate last night in Nashville.
Welker, 44, was the only person of color chosen to moderate a debate during this presidential election cycle. She was tasked with helping ensure a smoother event than the candidates’ first one-on-one exchange on Sept. 29, which saw Fox News’ Chris Wallace largely lose control while both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden shouted and interrupted each other.
New York Times opinion writer Jamelle Bouie declared the “winner of the debate is obviously Kristen Welker.”
And others agreed, including her colleagues.
“Winner of the debate: @kwelkernbc who was clearly in command from start to finish with poise, substance and authority. Bravo!” veteran NBC journalist Andrea Mitchell tweeted.
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“I think she’s owed congratulations by the country. I think if there was a clear winner from this debate tonight, I don’t know who would argue with that fact that it was, in fact, Kristen Welker,” said MSNBC show host Rachel Maddow during her post-debate commentary.
One question garnering praise for Welker is one she posed to Trump and Biden that appeared to not just be directed to the candidates, but to all of White America. She asked about what she phrased as “the talk,” the inevitable, life-or-death conversation that all Black parents, regardless of social class, must have with their children about how to act during an interaction with police.
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Biden, in his response, utilized empathy, noting that he has never had to talk to his children about the subject. “But a Black parent, no matter how wealthy or how poor they are, have to teach their child: When you are walking down the street, don’t have a hoodie on when you go across the street. Making sure that you, in fact, if you get pulled over, just ‘Yes sir,’ ‘no sir,’ hands on top of the wheel.”
He continued: “The fact of the matter is, there is institutional racism in America.”
When asked if he understood “the talk,” Trump simply replied, “Yes, I do.” He then went on to attack Biden for the 1994 crime bill.
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The president again repeated his claim that he has done more for Black people in America “with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, possible exception,” Trump emphasized.
Podcaster and author Toure tweeted, “It’s so offensive for Trump to say he’s done more for Black people than anyone since Lincoln.”
Biden said that Trump’s “[racist] dog whistle is about as big as a foghorn.”
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