Topline
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign on Thursday said it will not commit to a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, at least until the Democratic Party makes a formal decision on its nominee, prompting the vice president to mock Trump on social media and accuse him of backpedaling again.
Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two as she departs from Ellington Airport in Houston.
Key Facts
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, claimed in a statement President Joe Biden’s exit from the race had triggered “continued political chaos,” adding: “The general election debate cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide their nominee.”
The statement implied Harris did not have a lock on the nomination yet and the Democrats were “still holding out for someone ‘better.’” pointing to her lack of endorsement from some prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama; Obama endorsed Harris hours later.
Commenting on Trump’s refusal to debate her, Harris tweeted: “What happened to ‘any time, any place’?”—recalling the former president’s stance on debating Biden.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Washington earlier Thursday, Harris said she is “ready to debate Donald Trump,” adding the “voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage.”
Harris also accused Trump of “backpedaling” after agreeing to participate in the second presidential debate scheduled for September 10 on ABC News.
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What To Watch For
Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama endorsed Harris for president early Friday. Their backing came after the New York Times reported Obama had been in “regular touch” with Harris since she emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Obama was reportedly reticent about endorsing Harris immediately after President Biden left the race, to avoid making it look like a coronation. Citing a source familiar with Obama’s thinking, an earlier report by the Times said the former president saw his role as someone who can “unite the party once we have a nominee.”
Key Background
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters he is “willing to do more than one debate” with Harris and said presidential candidates have an “obligation” to take part in debates. The former president, however, was less keen on having the debate on ABC News, which he called “very biased” and instead suggested Fox News, a network that is friendly to him. In response, Fox has offered to host a debate between Trump and Harris in Pennsylvania on September 17—hosted by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Further Reading
Harris Accuses Trump Of ‘Backpedaling’ On Debate Promise (Forbes)
Fox News Proposes Sept. 17 Trump-Harris Debate—After Trump Suggests Network Host Next Face-Off (Forbes)
