Looks like the drama won’t just be between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the next much-anticipated presidential debate.
Anderson Cooper — who has just signed a new long-term deal with CNN — and ABC’s Martha Raddatz are moderating the town-hall debate together, and the rival network anchors are already feuding over who gets to grill the candidates on the most blistering topics.
Sources describe the DC meetings among ABC and CNN producers, the on-air talent and network brass ahead of Sunday’s presidential debate as “acrimonious at best.” Another added, “There won’t be just two presidential egos in the room on the next debate night, there will be four.”
A TV insider said, “Getting the two networks together has been a challenge. They are feuding over petty things, such as ‘Who does each particular topic?’ Both Anderson and Martha want to shine, to be tough on the candidates, and not to be accused of bias. There’s a lot at stake. So there’s a lot of turf-grabbing going on — attempts to box each other out to get the territory they are most well-suited for.
“Martha has vast experience covering national security, so she wants that topic, but Anderson’s team is being aggressive because he wants it for himself. The questions are fielded from the audience, so they are struggling to figure out how things will flow.”
The source continued, “They are supposed to be deep in rehearsals — the anchors and their teams have met a bunch of times, and the atmosphere has been acrimonious at best, at all levels, from the producers right up to the execs.
“Now CNN is running trailers for the debate, trumpeting the event as ‘Hosted by Anderson Cooper.’” The source added, “This has infuriated ABC News boss James Goldston. CNN has erased the name of the only female host of a presidential debate this cycle, and someone who was widely praised for her performance last time.” Meanwhile, ABC’s promos list Raddatz as a “co-anchor” but don’t mention Cooper.
Reps for ABC and CNN didn’t comment.