Fox News Media has extended an invitation to the Biden and Trump campaigns to participate in a vice presidential debate before the 2024 election. The proposed debate would be hosted by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum on July 23, August 13, or a date following the nomination conventions. Former President Trump has accepted the invitation, while the Biden campaign has already accepted a vice presidential debate invitation from CBS News.
Fox News Media has made its case to host a vice presidential debate ahead of the 2024 election, inviting both the Biden and Trump campaigns to participate. The proposed debate would be moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, who Fox News Media President Jay Wallace describes as "obvious choices as the faces of our political coverage."
In a letter addressed to the campaigns, Fox News Media requested the opportunity to host a vice presidential debate, expressing its availability on July 23, August 13, or dates following both nomination conventions. The proposed event would be held at Virginia State University, the first historically Black college or university selected by the CPD to host a presidential debate.
Fox News Media made its invitation based on its successful track record in hosting town halls with Democratic candidates such as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Amy Klobuchar, and Kirsten Gillibrand. According to the letter, Fox News Media has "reached out to Virginia State University as a possible location."
Former President Trump accepted the invitation on behalf of his yet-to-be-determined vice presidential running mate. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he urged Vice President Kamala Harris to agree to the debate and stated his hope that it be held at Virginia State University.
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign had already accepted an invitation from CBS News for a vice presidential debate this summer, setting the stage for a showdown between Harris and the Republican VP nominee. The campaign notified CBS News of its acceptance to participate in-studio on either July 23 or August 13.
However, the Biden campaign broke with decades-long tradition in a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates, abandoning the three fall events organized by the debate commission. Former President Trump subsequently accepted Biden's proposed timeline, scheduling the first presidential debate for June 27 on CNN and the second for September 10 on ABC News.
The Biden-Harris campaign requested specific debate conditions, including the use of studio setups with time-limited microphones, the involvement of only the candidates and moderator, and the exclusion of independent or third-party candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Biden posted a video on social media, challenging Trump to debates and stating that he would accept two debates. Trump responded, expressing his readiness to debate and agreeing to the proposed June and September dates.
Both Trump and Biden have since confirmed their acceptance of the June 27 debate on CNN. As of now, the Republican campaign has yet to accept one of Fox News Media's proposed dates for the vice presidential debate.
