Trump and Biden Approach Debate Stage

After facing pressure from Donald Trump's campaign and supporters, it seems like Joe Biden and Trump are getting closer to debating each other before the election. In a recent interview with Howard Stern, Biden expressed his willingness to debate Trump. Biden stated that he would be "happy to" participate in the general election debates.

The president expressed, "I am somewhere. I don't know when, I'm happy to debate him."

In return, Trump responded on Truth Social, "Everyone knows he doesn't really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters."

After weeks of Republicans pushing for debates to take place, the back-and-forth finally ensued.

The calls for debates have been made through press releases, campaign memos, talking points given to Republican allies, and in interviews. The main argument is straightforward: Trump is eager to debate, and Biden should fulfill his obligation to the American people by facing him on stage promptly.

The question of whether Joe Biden will debate continues to be a topic of discussion. Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his willingness to debate Joe Biden at any time and any place, as mentioned in a public memo by Trump's co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita.

In a separate statement, Kellyanne Conway, a Trump campaign manager in 2016, emphasized the importance of Vice President Kamala Harris debating whoever Trump selects as his running mate once an announcement is made.

Surrogates recently received talking points from the Republican National Committee, which emphasized that President Trump is willing to debate anytime, anywhere. They also stressed the importance of allowing Americans to see both candidates on the same stage before voting. The Trump campaign has urged for earlier debates in a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates, but has not received a response yet. Several news organizations, including CNN, have also called for Trump and Biden to participate in televised debates.

The Commission on Presidential Debates, a nonpartisan organization, had initially planned for the debates to begin in mid-September last year. However, the commission is waiting to assess candidates' polling numbers and ballot placements before determining who will be invited to the debate stage.

Trump and his team believe that calling for the debates now is a strong argument, especially as Republicans focus on criticizing the president on immigration and the economy. Meanwhile, Trump spends most of his time dealing with legal matters.

According to a source familiar with the discussions, Trump's team is eager to see the former President on the debate stage as soon as possible for several reasons. They recently requested the Commission on Presidential Debates to hold this year's general election debates earlier. The source mentioned that the debates were set to take place after early voting had already begun in some regions, and they want Trump to have the opportunity to connect with voters before they cast their votes.

Part of the strategy is to pressure Biden's team to decide on debates early. Trump's team believes there is no disadvantage.

According to a source, "[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 hiding from Donald Trump."

Trump's team is confident that the former President will do well on the debate stage. "Even though they silenced Donald Trump in the courtroom, they won't be able to silence him on the debate stage," said Chris LaCivita, Trump's co-campaign manager.

Trump has a mixed record when it comes to attending debates. In 2016, he eagerly participated in almost all of the Republican primary debates and all of the general election debates. However, in 2020, he skipped the second general election debate due to it being virtual amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, he decided not to participate in any of the Republican primary debates this time around. Despite this, the Trump campaign is now disputing the idea that Biden should not have to attend debates because Trump didn't participate in the primaries.

According to a senior adviser, comparing Trump's absence in the primary debates to Biden potentially skipping the fall debates is like comparing apples to oranges.

Calling for debates to be held earlier could help in filtering out third-party candidates that may pose challenges for both Trump and Biden. In order to participate in general election debates, candidates must meet specific criteria related to ballot access, polling, and constitutional eligibility. While Trump and Biden are likely to qualify, the eligibility of third-party candidates like Cornel West or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remains uncertain. The final decision on who qualifies for the debates will be made by the Commission on Presidential Debates after Labor Day.

It was emphasized by the source that Trump is willing to participate in debates with or without a third-party candidate sharing the stage.

The Biden position

The Biden campaign isn’t in a rush to commit to any specific date or format for the general election debates, a source familiar with their thinking says.

Biden's team has been cautious about Trump's recent eagerness for the debate.

About two years ago, the Republican National Committee decided to stop participating in the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which oversees general-election presidential debates, due to perceived bias. The decision came after then-chairwoman Ronna McDaniel had been urging the commission to make changes on behalf of Trump for months. At one point, McDaniel even threatened to prevent future Republican nominees from taking part in CPD-sponsored debates. (She was removed from her position earlier this year.)

After securing enough delegates to win their party nominations, both Biden and Trump are now focused on the next step. Trump has been calling for debates, first before Biden's State of the Union address and again recently. However, the Biden campaign is unsure about the sudden interest in debates, especially since the Republican Party withdrew from the commission.

According to a source, the Biden campaign does not see debates as a make-or-break factor in elections. They view debates as just one part of their overall strategy to reach voters. This includes efforts like building their organization, setting up offices, running paid media campaigns, and more. In contrast, the Biden campaign has been balancing governing and campaigning in battleground states, while Trump has been heavily involved in legal battles.

Biden had mentioned earlier that he would only debate with his predecessor based on his behavior, without providing further details.

In February, he also commented, "If I were him I’d want to debate me too. He’s got nothing else to do."

The Biden campaign views its 2020 debate experience with Trump as one that was ultimately positive for then-candidate Biden.

Why debate?

Debates are still considered significant by strategists and operatives who have advised statewide and presidential candidates on debating, even though viewership of these debates has varied over the years. The value of debates goes beyond just whether voters watch the candidates face off in real time.

According to Brett O’Donnell, a veteran Republican debate coach who has prepared Sen. Mitt Romney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for presidential debates, debates are crucial in this election. He believes that voters should hear directly from the candidates on stage to compare their records and positions.

"There is also an incentive for Biden and Trump to skip debating this time around, according to Mari Will, a longtime Republican debate coach. Will believes that debating may not be necessary at this point. While it is beneficial for the country to engage voters, she thinks most people have already made up their minds. Only a small group of persuadable voters remain, and they are likely to make their decision before the election, which leaves a potential risk."

Will emphasized the risk of a candidate making a mistake or underperforming, leading to a negative perception that could overshadow their campaign in the media.

According to Will, it's not just about the viewers, but also about the media narrative that can persist for days. This narrative can influence the creation of advertisements and shape public opinion. Will advises candidates to be mindful of the narrative as it can greatly impact their campaign.

However, not participating in debates would go against the longstanding tradition of general election candidates debating before the election. The first televised general election debate took place in 1960, with a gap until 1976 before becoming a regular practice for nominees of the two main parties, and sometimes a third party candidate, to engage in debates.

Editor's P/S:

The upcoming presidential debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump are highly anticipated and will likely have a significant impact on the election. Biden has expressed his willingness to participate, while Trump has been eager for the debates to take place. The Republican Party has been pushing for debates, arguing that Biden should fulfill his obligation to the American people by facing Trump on stage. The Biden campaign, however, is cautious about Trump's recent eagerness for the debate and is unsure about the sudden interest in debates, especially since the Republican Party withdrew from the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

Strategists and operatives believe debates are still significant, even though viewership has varied over the years. They argue that voters should hear directly from the candidates on stage to compare their records and positions. However, there is also an incentive for Biden and Trump to skip debating this time around, as most people have already made up their minds and only a small group of persuadable voters remain. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to participate in the debates will be a strategic one for both campaigns.