Trump Didn’t Back Out of the September Debate — Joe Biden Did

By Philip Klein

Friday, July 26, 2024

 

Donald Trump’s campaign on Thursday announced that he is not yet ready to agree to the details of a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, stating:

 

Given the continued political chaos surrounding Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrat Party, general election debate details cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide on their nominee. There is a strong sense by many in the Democrat Party — namely Barack Hussein Obama — that Kamala Harris is a Marxist fraud who cannot beat President Trump, and they are still holding out hope for somebody “better.” Therefore, it would be inappropriate to schedule things with Harris because Democrats very well could still change their minds.

 

The wording of the statement, using Obama’s middle name and trolling with the recent chaos on the Democratic side, is very Trumpy. But it’s dishonest for Democrats and their media allies to act as if Trump is backing out because he is quaking in his boots about the prospect of Harris.

Talking Points Memo’s Josh Marshall posted, “Prez elections are a series of performative moments about power. At critical moment he showed weakness and fear.”

 

That’s a bit rich given that Trump was literally just shot and got right up a minute later to raise his fist before the crowd.

 

The reality is this. Trump agreed to two debates with President Biden, which involved negotiations and concessions to the Biden team. Then, Biden did so badly in the first debate that he was forced to quit the race. Once he was no longer a candidate, that was the end of the September 10 debate. Now, there will have to be negotiations with the new Democratic nominee — presumably Harris — over the rules and timing of the debate.

 

If Trump refuses to debate Harris at all, then I think it would be fair to argue that he is dodging. Right now, though, he isn’t saying he won’t debate Harris but that the deal he struck with the previous Democratic nominee doesn’t hold, because he is no longer the nominee. So they will have to negotiate new details.

 

Obviously, Democrats know this and are just playing games. But by doing so, they are raising expectations for Harris if there is a debate.