Trump suggests he may skip debate, campaigns at odds over host, rules

Aug 26, 2024 at 11:59 AM CDT

Former president Donald Trump raised renewed doubt about ABC News, the network in charge of running the Sept. 10 debate. — Image credit: Getty Images

There is new uncertainty about whether former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Both candidates previously committed to the debate hosted by ABC. However, Trump raised renewed doubt about the network in charge of running the event.

The former president suggested he might withdraw from debate night after watching ABC’s Sunday morning show, which featured Jonathan Karl interviewing Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

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“I watched ABC fake news this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Karl’s ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton—who was fantastic—and their so-called panel of Trump haters,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I ask, why would I do the debate against Kamala Harris on that network? Stay tuned.”

Securing a date for the debate has been challenging for both campaigns. When President Joe Biden was the Democratic presidential candidate, Trump and Biden had agreed to a second debate hosted by ABC on Sept. 10. When Harris took over at the top of the ticket, she agreed to replace Biden for that debate. However, Trump contended that his agreement was with Biden, not Harris, and sought to move the debate to Fox News.

There was an exchange between the camps, with Trump wanting to shift the debate to Fox News and Harris refusing to move from ABC. Ultimately, Trump recommitted to the ABC debate on Sept. 10.

In addition to disagreements over the debate venue, Trump and Harris also disputed over the debate rules. According to sources who spoke with Politico and CNN, Trump’s campaign wants microphones muted when a candidate is not speaking, as was the case in the June debate with Biden. Harris’ campaign prefers that microphones remain active throughout the debate.

Before any debate takes place, the two candidates have been unable to agree on much, which could reflect how things might unfold on stage — if both candidates show up.

Karah Rucker is the host of Bias Breakdown and a daily news anchor for Straight Arrow News. She examines media bias and breaks down left- and right-leaning narratives with impartial analysis.

Tags: 2024 Elections, ABC, CNN, debate, Donald Trump, Election, Fox News, Kamala Harris

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[KARAH RUCKER]

THERE’S NEW UNCERTAINTY OVER WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS DEBATE HERE IN TWO WEEKS.

BOTH OF THEM HAVE COMMITTED TO A DEBATE HOSTED BY ABC ON SEPTEMBER 10.

BUT TRUMP IS RAISING RENEWED DOUBT OVER THE NETWORK IN CHARGE OF RUNNING IT –

AND IS SUGGESTING HE COULD PULL OUT OF DEBATE NIGHT –

AFTER WATCHING ABC’S SUNDAY MORNING SHOW –

WITH ABC’S JONATHAN KARL INTERVIEWING REPUBLICAN SENATOR TOM COTTON –

AT TIMES IN A HEATED DEBATE OF THEIR OWN.

[ABC INTERVIEW]

TOM COTTON: “She is not taking the far left positions of her party, she’s clearly making an effort to move to the middle.”

JONATHAN KARL: “When she campaigned for president in her own right, she did promise things like decriminalizing immigration and taking away health insurance for private jobs.”

COTTON: “I mean that’s a position she’s clearly changed on and said she changed on, no she hasn’t, yes she has, no john, she has not said that.”

KARL: “Do you agree that the presidential medal of freedom is better than the medal of honor, those are his words.”

COTTON: “John you are totally taking it out of context.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

TRUMP SAYING ON TRUTH SOCIAL “I WATCHED ABC FAKE NEWS THIS MORNING, BOTH LIGHTWEIGHT REPORTER JONATHAN CARL’S RIDICULOUS AND BIASED INTERVIEW OF TOM COTTON – WHO WAS FANTASTIC – AND THEIR SO-CALLED PANEL OF TRUMP HATERS –

AND I ASK –

WHY WOULD I DO THE DEBATE AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS ON THAT NETWORK?”

HE GOES ON TO SAY – “STAY TUNED” –

SUGGESTING A POTENTIAL DEBATE SHAKE UP.

IT’S BEEN A STRUGGLE TO GET A DATE SOLIDIFIED BETWEEN THESE TWO CAMPAIGNS.

WHEN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WAS STILL THE PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE –

TRUMP AND BIDEN HAD AGREED TO A SECOND DEBATE HOSTED BY ABC ON SEPTEMBER 10.

WHEN HARRIS TOOK OVER AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET –

SHE AGREED TO TAKE BIDEN’S PLACE FOR THAT DEBATE.

BUT TRUMP SAID HE HAD AGREED TO ABC’S DEBATE WITH BIDEN – NOT HARRIS.

AND WANTED A VENUE CHANGE.

THERE WAS A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE CAMPS.

TRUMP WANTING TO MOVE THE DEBATE TO FOX NEWS.

HARRIS NOT BUDGING FROM ABC.

ULTIMATELY – TRUMP RE-COMMITTED TO ABC’S SEPTEMBER 10TH DATE.

NOT ONLY HAVE TRUMP AND HARRIS BEEN AT ODDS OVER WHO WOULD HOST THEIR DEBATE –

BUT APPARENTLY THE TWO ARE ALSO IN A DISPUTE OVER DEBATE RULES.

ACCORDING TO SOURCES WHO SPOKE WITH POLITICO AND CNN –

TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN WANTS MICS MUTED WHEN ITS NOT A CANDIDATE’S TURN TO SPEAK – AS IT WAS IN THE JUNE DEBATE WITH BIDEN.

HARRIS’ CAMPAIGN WANTS THE MICS HOT THE ENTIRE DEBATE.

BEFORE ANY SORT OF DEBATE HAPPENS –

THE TWO CANDIDATES CAN’T AGREE ON MUCH.

WHICH IS LIKELY WHAT WOULD PLAY OUT ON STAGE –

**IF THE TWO SHOW UP.

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