From the Left · Watch · October 21, 2026
Oct 19 · Trump says he's open to three-way talks with Putin and Xi
WHAS11 (ABC affiliate): President Trump not ruling out meeting between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin
Grade B (82/100). Ukraine strikes, summit, critics
Lehrer score 82/100 (−18 unnamed source/unsourced figure: “reportedly” with no source: “[0:16] this 1-year-old Ukrainian girl reportedly killed in her stroller”). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → B.
ABC News package aired by WHAS11. Opens with the correspondent's own feeling [0:11] “I don't think I've ever felt this way in Ukraine.” Unsourced “reportedly” at [0:16]. Critics on the record [0:57]; Rubio's response [1:17].
Agrees: Trump not ruling out a meeting with Putin and Xi [0:47]
Splits: Adds Russian strikes and a GOP critic: “Putin is playing president Trump like a fiddle”
- Met. Rule: assume there is at least one other side (critic and Rubio both heard)
- Broken. Rule: no anonymous sources or unattributed figures except on rare and monumental occasions ([0:16] this 1-year-old Ukrainian girl reportedly killed in her stroller)
Watch at WHAS11 (ABC affiliate)
Same story: Reuters, NTD News (Epoch Media Group)