The Commission on Presidential Debates’ refusal to adjust its debate schedule has been deemed “unacceptable” by the campaign of former President Trump. In response, they have hinted at the possibility of bypassing the long-standing body that has sponsored all general election presidential debates for many years.
“The American public deserves to hear from both candidates before they cast their votes, but the Presidential Debate Commission’s schedule fails to accommodate this. It is unacceptable that millions of Americans will have already voted before the debates even begin. By refusing to move up the debates, the Commission is doing a disservice to the American public,” stated Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, spokespersons for the Trump campaign.
The Trump campaign recently requested the commission for debates to be scheduled “much earlier” than the planned first debate in mid-September. This move comes as the former president puts pressure on President Biden to engage in a head-to-head debate.
LaCivita and Wiles expressed their unwavering commitment to making the debate happen, regardless of the involvement of the Presidential Debate Commission. They extended an invitation to every television network in America that is interested in hosting a debate. Additionally, they urged Joe Biden’s team to cooperate and collaborate with them in order to organize a debate as soon as possible.
In a recent report by Fox News on Monday, the commission reaffirmed its current schedule. The Hill has contacted the commission for comment on this matter.
In a recent statement, Biden expressed his satisfaction with the prospect of debating Trump, now that both candidates have secured the necessary delegates to become their party’s presumptive nominees. While Trump has been actively calling for a debate with the incumbent, Biden and his campaign have mostly avoided directly addressing the issue.
In a response post on Truth Social, President Trump expressed his skepticism towards Joe Biden’s recent announcement about being willing to debate. He stated, “Crooked Joe Biden just announced that he’s willing to debate! Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters.”
The commission has scheduled the first presidential debate for September 16 at Texas State University in San Marcos. Following that, the vice presidential debate will take place on September 25 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Two additional presidential debates are planned for October in Virginia and Utah.
During this cycle, Trump made a notable decision to skip all the GOP primary debates, stating that his lead in the polls gave him an advantage over his Republican competitors. Currently, he is facing a trial in New York for criminal charges related to a hush money payment made during the 2016 cycle.