In a joint statement released Sunday, more than a dozen major media outlets called for President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to agree to debate each other. The statement follows apparent reluctance on both sides about debates, with Trump avoiding debates during the primary season and calling for Biden to hold an early general election debate. .
The joint statement includes major cable news, network news, and several other major mainstream news organizations. This includes NBCUniversal News Group, the parent company of cable news companies CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
The news organization is “urging prospective presidential candidates to publicly commit to participating in general election debates before the November election.”
They cite the history of presidential debates, pointing to the fact that presidential debates have been a regular part of the election cycle for 50 years. Other times it was even longer and more important, such as the infamous 1960 televised debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Radio listeners, as well as television viewers, were more likely than radio listeners to believe that Kennedy had won. However, no presidential debates were held until 1976.
The outlet also notes the fact that the Commission on Presidential Debates has hosted presidential debates since 1988, but presidential candidates have not been formally invited to debates ahead of this year's election. It's still too early, and he won't officially become the party's nominee until this summer's convention. The convention said, “It is never too early for candidates who are expected to meet the eligibility criteria to publicly declare their support for and intent to participate in the committee's debates scheduled for this fall.”
“The stakes in this election are extremely high,” the joint statement concludes, arguing that debate is the only way for Americans to understand the perspectives and beliefs of each candidate. As they say, “There is no substitute for candidates speaking to each other and to the American people about their vision for this country's future.”
This statement is signed by ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News Media, NBCUniversal News Group, NewsNation, Noticias Univision (Univision Network News), NPR, PBS NewsHour, and USA Today .
Republican candidate Trump missed all four Republican primary debates in 2023 and 2024, but said he would debate Biden “anytime, anywhere, anywhere” in the run-up to the November election. They held a debate in 2020, but the second of the three debates was canceled after President Trump contracted COVID-19 before a vaccine was available.
Biden has shown little enthusiasm for the idea of debating Trump this year, telling reporters in March that a debate against Trump “depends on what he does.”
The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled debates on September 16th, October 1st, and October 9th.
The letter is the final draft version obtained by The New York Times on Tuesday.
