The Trump campaign's reluctance to schedule debates with Vice President Kamala Harris has drawn criticism from conservatives, who have pointed out that Biden withdrew from the race and effectively pulled out of a scheduled debate.
Former President Donald Trump's hesitation to commit to a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris has sparked a backlash from conservatives, who have drawn parallels to President Biden's withdrawal from the race and the subsequent cancellation of a scheduled debate.
Biden initially agreed to two debates but dropped out of the campaign after the first one, leaving Trump without a Democratic opponent. This has been cited by critics as a precedent for Trump's reluctance to schedule debates with Harris, who has yet to secure the Democratic nomination for the 2024 race.
Trump's Debate Hesitation: Conservative Backlash and Biden's Precedent
Fox News contributor Guy Benson highlighted the irony of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's criticism of Trump's "weakness" for not agreeing to debate Harris. Benson pointed out that Biden had pulled out of the race and the second debate, demonstrating an undeniable weakness.
"I'm actually surprised Pete would dunk this hard on his boss, Joe Biden," Benson said. "The man *just* pulled out of the race (and therefore the second debate), clearly against his will. Undeniable weakness aside, give him a moment of peace."
Trump's Debate Hesitation: Conservative Backlash and Biden's Precedent
National Review's Charles C. Cooke accused the media of operating in full campaign mode in favor of Democrats, as evidenced by their criticism of Trump's debate position.
"This is the sort of extraordinarily brazen tack you take only when you know that the media is in full campaign mode in your favor," Cooke said.
Trump's Debate Hesitation: Conservative Backlash and Biden's Precedent
CNN's Scott Jennings also weighed in, stating that Biden was the only presidential nominee he could recall who had agreed to a debate and then pulled out.
"Yes. Biden. Literally this past weekend," Jennings said.
Trump's Debate Hesitation: Conservative Backlash and Biden's Precedent
Pollster Frank Luntz echoed this sentiment, noting that Biden had agreed to two debates but withdrew from his entire campaign after the first one.
The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway added to the chorus of voices, highlighting Biden as the only other presidential nominee she could think of who had pulled out of a debate agreement.
Trump has said he is open to debating Harris more than once, but the Trump campaign has maintained that it would be inappropriate to schedule anything with Harris until Democrats finalize their nominee.
Harris criticized this position as "backpedaling," emphasizing that she is the Democratic frontrunner and ready to debate Trump.
The debate surrounding the debate scheduling has highlighted the delicate nature of presidential campaign negotiations and the strategic considerations that both parties must navigate. As the 2024 race heats up, the issue of debates will likely continue to be a prominent topic of discussion.
