Debate Moderator Welker Earns Praise

Kristen Welker

All eyes were on moderator NBC News' Kristen Welker during the final presidential debate, reports USAToday.

After Fox News' Chris Wallace failed to maintain order during the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, Welker was applauded for Thursday's controlled exchange.

Even Wallace admitted he was "jealous." During Fox News' post-debate coverage, Wallace said: "I would have liked to have been able to moderate that debate and to get a real exchange of views instead of hundreds of interruptions.”

President Trump offered offhand praise of NBC News’s Kristen Welker during the final presidential debate Thursday, despite criticizing the moderator earlier in the day. 

As he accused former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday night of wanting to ban fracking, Trump threw out a compliment to Welker, saying that he respected her handling of the debate. 

“By the way so far I respect very much the way you’re handling this, I have to say,” Trump said, before returning to his criticism of Biden.

Veteran news anchor Dan Rather gave a "tip of the Stetson to Kristen Welker." He called her "a consummate pro on a big and difficult stage."

NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell called her colleague a "total pro. She is thoughtful, tough and in charge. A master class where voters were clearly well served."⁩ 

New York Times reporter Nick Corasaniti said Welker was "flawless," adding that "this should be the tape future debate moderators study and seek to emulate."

The Washington Post's Marissa J. Lang applauded Welker's trailblazing diversity. Welker is the first Black woman to moderate a presidential debate in nearly 30 years. 

"I have been waiting for months to watch a woman of color moderate one of these presidential debates and, boy, @kwelkernbc did not disappoint," Lang tweeted. "Unflappable, smart and in control every step of the way. Expertly done."