President Biden has expressed his willingness to debate former President Donald Trump prior to the November presidential election and is open to facing his Republican opponent twice during the race for the White House. Mr. Biden’s campaign proposed having the first debate in late June, after Trump’s ongoing criminal trial concludes, and a second debate in early September. Trump quickly accepted these proposed debate dates, but suggested having more than two debates at a large venue. Biden also challenged Trump to debate him, stating that Trump lost two debates in 2020 and he is willing to face him again.
The Biden campaign laid out specific terms for the debates, including not participating in debates sponsored by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen presidential debates since 1988. Instead, Biden plans to participate in debates hosted by news organizations, due to the Commission’s failure to enforce rules during the 2020 debates and the disruption caused by large audiences. The first debate should be hosted by a broadcast organization that oversaw a Republican primary debate in 2016 and a Democratic primary debate in 2020, such as CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and Telemundo. The debates should be one-on-one, excluding third-party candidates like Robert Kennedy Jr., and moderators should be selected from regular personnel of the hosting news outlets.
The Biden campaign also proposed specific guidelines for the debates, including time limits for answers and responses and active microphones only when it is the candidate’s turn to speak. The campaign hopes that both sides quickly accept broadcast media debate invitations based on these parameters to focus on the issues rather than the debate process itself. The vice presidential debate is suggested to follow the same parameters as the presidential debates, with the first event scheduled for late July after the Republican National Convention. The campaign emphasized the importance of having a debate between the two major candidates with a statistical chance of winning the Electoral College.
Trump’s criminal trial in New York, where he faces charges of falsifying business records to cover up payments to an adult film star, is not scheduled on Wednesdays. Both Biden and Trump have expressed their eagerness to debate each other, with Biden challenging Trump to pick the dates for the debates. Trump has accepted the proposed debate schedule for June and September, but also recommended having more debates at a large venue. The upcoming debates are expected to revolve around key issues facing the country and provide an opportunity for the candidates to present their policies and visions for the nation.
As the campaign season progresses, the debates between Biden and Trump are likely to play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing voter decisions. Both candidates have shown their readiness to engage in these debates, with Biden seeking to present his record and policy proposals while challenging Trump’s past performance and actions. The specific terms and guidelines proposed by the Biden campaign aim to ensure fair and structured debates that focus on substantive issues rather than personal attacks or distractions. The public can expect a series of debates between the two candidates that will be crucial in determining the outcome of the November presidential election.
