Trump Refuses to Commit to Harris Debate Until Formal Nomination

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Facts

  • The Trump campaign said on Thursday that presidential debate details, including dates, can only be agreed upon after the Democratic Party formally selects its nominee.[1]
  • This comes as Vice Pres. Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee following Pres. Joe Biden's recent withdrawal from the 2024 race, claimed to be ready to face off against Donald Trump on Sept. 10.[2]
  • Biden and Trump had agreed to two debates, the first one on June 27 and the second one on Sept. 10. Trump has suggested the debate should be moved from ABC News to Fox News, which proposed a debate for Sept. 17.[3]
  • CNN, which hosted June's consequential debate, reported that ABC News is 'full steam ahead' with preparations for the second presidential debate as it has released the requirements for candidates to qualify on Friday.[4]
  • Harris is expected to be formally nominated as soon as the first week of August, as top Democrats such as Biden, the Clintons, and the Obamas have endorsed her candidacy.[5]
  • Real Clear Politics' polling average shows Trump ahead of Harris nationally by nearly 2%, while Emerson College polls found the Republican leading in the key swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — and tied with Harris in Wisconsin.[6]

Sources: [1]Breitbart, [2]USA Today, [3]New York Times, [4]CNN, [5]New York Post and [6]Forbes.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. Throughout the year, Trump begged to debate Biden with complete indifference to the details. However, the former president and his team became reluctant to face Kamala Harris as soon as she became the presumptive Democratic nominee. Trump fears how he would perform against her, so he is backpedaling now.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by National Review. It doesn't matter how hard Democrats and their media allies try to act as if Trump is dodging the September debate; that claim will never be valid. He had agreed to face off with Biden twice after details were negotiated between their teams, so new negotiations over rules and timing must occur once a new Democratic candidate is nominated.

Predictions