President Joe Biden challenged former President Donald Trump on Wednesday to face him in up to two debates while rejecting a proposed schedule from the nonpartisan commission that traditionally puts together a fall slate of candidate face-offs. Trump quickly announced he would accept the dates that Biden floated.
In a 14-second video — which featured several cuts — Biden claimed Trump “lost” to him in the 2020 debates and “hasn’t shown up for a debate” since that time. “Now he is acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice,” Biden said. Referring to Trump’s trial in New York City, he added, “So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate.
Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again.
Well, make my day, pal. pic.twitter.com/AkPmvs2q4u
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 15, 2024
At around the same time, Biden’s campaign sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates announcing he would not participate in the nonpartisan group’s debate plan, set to begin in mid-September. Instead, Team Biden proposed late June and early September for presidential debates and late July for a vice presidential debate.
Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon wrote that the commission’s schedule is problematic because it would have debates that come after early voting begins, allows for “noisy spectacles” with large audiences, and has a track record of not enforcing its own rules to maintain an “orderly” process.
Proposed parameters included a broadcast organization that held a 2016 GOP primary debate and a 2020 primary debate as the host as well as a venue that is a television studio that will only have the candidates and the moderators present.
Biden’s campaign also pushed for a one-on-one format, eschewing the possibility of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being thrown into the mix, and “firm” time limits for answers as well as turning off a candidate’s microphone when it is not that person’s time to speak.
Trump, who has been urging Biden to agree to a debate for months, announced on social media that he would accept the proposed dates. However, he did not comment on the debate rules that Biden’s team suggested be part of the process.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced – He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform.
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“It’s time for a debate so that he can explain to the American People his highly destructive Open Border Policy, new and ridiculous EV Mandates, the allowance of Crushing Inflation, High Taxes, and his really WEAK Foreign Policy, which is allowing the World to ‘Catch on Fire,'” Trump added.
“I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September,” he continued. “I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!'”
Trump’s team released a memo addressed to Biden’s campaign that proposed two more debates — one in July and another in August to “allow voters to have maximum exposure to the records and visions of each candidate” — in addition to the vice presidential debate.
Biden’s campaign did not immediately respond to the counter-offer. However, both Trump and Biden have since accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in a debate on June 27 in Georgia without an audience and a second debate hosted by ABC News set for September 10.