A group of twelve news outlets called for the presumptive presidential nominees to commit to participating in debates before the November election.
Without naming them specifically, the statement pressured former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden to pledge to take part in debates put on by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
“Though it is too early for invitations to be extended to any candidates, it is not too early for candidates who expect to meet the eligibility criteria to publicly state their support for — and their intention to participate in — the Commission’s debates planned for this fall,” the group said.
“…there is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of our nation,” it concluded.
Signatories included agencies such as The Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, NewsNation, NPR, PBS NewsHour, and USA Today.
Former President Trump has not been averse to debates.
Just last week, his campaign called for more debates to be held earlier in the year than the three currently planned for fall.
“We are in favor of these debates beginning much earlier,” Trump’s co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said, due to the early voting process which means millions of Americans will likely vote before the first debate takes place.
Their statement called for as many as seven debates, ensuring “more Americans have a full chance to see the candidates before they start voting.”
“Americans were robbed of a true and robust debate in 2020,” Wiles and LaCivita said.
Trump himself said he would debate Biden “anytime, anyplace, and anywhere”.
Biden and his campaign have not committed to debating Trump at all, saying that they will make a decision “later this year”.
In March, Biden said debating Trump would “depend on his behavior”.
Vice President Kamala Harris also would not commit to participating in a vice presidential debate.
Not going to happen. Joe, even if given the questions and answers in advance, won’t be able to remember the answers, or if he does (even worse) won’t be able to remember which answer matches which question.
Trump wants to debate.
IF Dems agree, it won’t be Joe on the podium! It’ll be a masked double. Trump would shred the real Biden!
Hey Media U seeded this years ago its on U
Lets Debate NOW OK Joe