Biden, in a significant move on Friday, expressed his strong commitment to participating in the general election debates during a wide-ranging interview with Howard Stern. He stated, "I am – somewhere. I don’t know when, I’m happy to debate him."
Responding swiftly on Truth Social, Trump retorted, "Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters."
This exchange follows a crescendo of calls from Republicans urging the debates to proceed.
These calls have been echoed through press releases, campaign memos, talking points disseminated to Republican representatives, and interviews with allies. The central argument is clear: Trump is eager to debate, and Biden owes it to the American people to engage him on stage as soon as possible.
"Will Joe Biden Debate? That’s an issue that isn’t going away. Donald Trump makes it clear whenever he is on stage that he will debate Joe Biden anytime, anywhere, and anyplace," stated a passage from a public memo issued on Thursday by Trump's co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita.
Kellyanne Conway, Trump's 2016 campaign manager, emphasized that Vice President Kamala Harris should engage in a debate with whoever Trump selects as his running mate immediately after the announcement.
In recent talking points distributed to surrogates and obtained by CNN, the Republican National Committee urged supporters to assert that “President Trump is ready to debate anytime, anyplace, and anywhere” and emphasized that “Americans deserve a full opportunity to witness both candidates on the same stage before casting their votes.” Earlier this month, the Trump campaign forwarded a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates advocating for earlier debates, yet no response has been received thus far. Additionally, a consortium of twelve news organizations, including CNN, issued a public letter urging Trump and Biden to partake in televised debates.
The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates declared last year that events were slated to commence in mid-September. However, the campaign cycle has not progressed to a stage where the commission can evaluate candidates' polling positions and ballot appearances to determine who qualifies for participation.
Trump and his team regard the call for debates as a potent argument to present at this juncture, despite Republicans focusing on critiquing the president's stance on immigration and the economy, while Trump himself is preoccupied with legal matters for much of his time.
A source familiar with the discussions informed CNN that Trump’s team is enthusiastic about getting the former President onto the debate stage as soon as possible for several reasons. Earlier this month, the campaign urged the Commission on Presidential Debates to hold this year's general election debates "much earlier." The source highlighted that debates were slated to occur after early voting commenced in certain regions, and they aim for Trump to connect with voters before they finalize their decisions.
Part of the strategy involves compelling Biden’s team to decide on debates promptly, with Trump’s team perceiving no potential drawbacks.
“[Biden’s campaign] will either have to debate, and we do not think he can keep up with Trump, or explain to the American people why they’re avoiding Donald Trump,” the source remarked.
Trump’s team exuded confidence in the former President's ability to shine on the debate stage.
“They may have silenced Donald Trump in the courtroom, but they won’t be able to muzzle him on the debate stage,” asserted Trump’s co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita.
Trump’s debate attendance history is a mixed bag. He eagerly participated in nearly all of the Republican primary debates and attended all of the general election debates in 2016. However, in 2020, he declined to partake in the second general election debate after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it would be held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Trump opted out of all Republican primary debates in the current election cycle. Nonetheless, the Trump campaign is pushing back against the suggestion that Biden could skip debates this fall because Trump did not attend those primary debates.
“It’s like comparing apples to oranges,” remarked one senior adviser.
Advocating for earlier debates may also serve to eliminate third-party candidates who could pose challenges for both Trump and Biden. Candidates must meet specific criteria regarding ballot access, polling, and constitutional eligibility to qualify for general election debates. While Trump and Biden are almost certain to qualify, it remains uncertain if third-party candidates like Cornel West or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will meet the requirements. The Commission on Presidential Debates will not determine debate eligibility until after Labor Day.
The source insisted that Trump would participate in debates regardless of whether a third-party candidate is present on the stage.
Biden's Stance
The Biden campaign is not rushing to commit to any particular date or format for the general election debates, according to a source familiar with their perspective.
Biden's team has observed Trump's recent enthusiasm for debates with some skepticism.
Approximately two years ago, the Republican National Committee unanimously voted to withdraw from participation in the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, citing perceived bias. This decision followed months of then-chairwoman Ronna McDaniel advocating for changes within the commission on behalf of Trump. At one point, McDaniel even threatened to "prohibit future Republican nominees from participating in CPD-sponsored debates." However, despite this withdrawal, Trump renewed calls for debates, first on the eve of Biden's State of the Union address and again earlier this month. The Biden campaign is unsure what, if anything, has changed since the Republican Party withdrew from the commission.
Biden had previously conditioned debates with his predecessor, stating to reporters last month, “It depends on his behavior,” without providing further details.
“If I were him I’d want to debate me too. He’s got nothing else to do,” he quipped in February.
Reflecting on the 2020 debate experience with Trump, the Biden campaign perceives it as ultimately positive for then-candidate Biden.
Why Debate?
Strategists and advisors who have counseled statewide and presidential candidates on debating assert that debates still hold significance, despite fluctuations in viewership over the years. The value of debates transcends mere viewership, offering an opportunity for voters to witness the candidates' contrasting records and perspectives firsthand.
“I think they’re important in this election because folks have a belief of what they think of what Donald Trump would do and what he did as president but they should hear that on stage in comparison to Joe Biden’s record and get a chance to compare those things head to head,” remarked Brett O’Donnell, a seasoned Republican debate coach who has prepared figures such as Sen. Mitt Romney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for presidential debates.
However, there is also an incentive for Biden and Trump to consider refraining from debating this time around, suggested Mari Will, another veteran Republican debate coach.
“If I were advising either one of them I would say ‘why?’…I would say ‘why debate?’ I mean I know it’s good for the country for the voters to be involved, but I think they’re already pretty involved,” Will commented. “I think most people have already pretty much made up their minds. There’s only a narrow band of persuadable. And most of those lean already and are probably going to come home before the election. So that just leaves risk.”
Will emphasized the risk of a candidate making a misstep or delivering a subpar performance, potentially leading to negative perceptions dominating the media cycle for a period.
“Mostly, from my perspective, it’s not about the people watching; it’s about the media narrative that goes on for two or three days after. And then sometimes you can make ads after that,” Will added. “I tell candidates mostly it’s about the narrative. You bring up something that media people can’t help but write down.”
Nevertheless, opting out of all debates would deviate from a longstanding tradition of general election candidates engaging in debates before the election, dating back decades. The first televised general election debate took place in 1960, with intermittent gaps until 1976, after which nominees from opposing parties, and occasionally a third-party candidate, have participated in general election debates.