FOX News and CNN debate moderators: One team talked twice as much as the other

Between the CNN and FOX debate moderator teams: Who talked the most during the GOP debates? Yes, someone has counted the minutes and done the math.

Overall, CNN moderator Jake Tapper along with Hugh Hewitt and Dana Bash spoke for 25 minutes and seven seconds during the second debate, or 15.6 percent of the total candidate/moderator speaking time according to the exacting Eric J. Ostermeier, a political professor with the University of Minnesota.

FOX moderators Brett Baier, Megyn Kelly, and Chris Wallace, meanwhile, spoke for 31 minutes and 53 seconds, or 31.7 percent of the candidate/moderator speaking time.

“CNN moderators spoke at less than half the rate of their FOX counterparts in Wednesday evening’s prime time debate,” the professor says.

So by the numbers, the CNN crew was less blabby, though their debate stretched to three hours - a phenomenon which in itself drew viewer criticism.

Mr. Ostermeier also found that the Fox folk asked longer questions.

“Whereas FOX moderators asked questions of a half-minute or longer on 25 occasions during the debate in Cleveland, CNN moderators did so only nine times on Wednesday,” the professor says. His study is here