Washington – President Biden and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to go head-to-head in the first presidential debate on June 27, and after a flurry of activity on Wednesday, both White House hopefuls accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in the event. Ta.
Plans for the first debate between Biden and Trump came together quickly after the president's campaign said in a letter that it was prepared to debate his Republican opponent twice before the November presidential election. .
Mr. Biden then announced on social media that he had accepted an invitation to participate in a debate hosted by CNN on June 27, and urged Mr. Trump to participate.
“I have received and accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in the debate on June 27th. Thank you, Donald. As you said, anywhere, anytime, anywhere,” Biden said in his speech. post.
CNN then announced that it would host a debate between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump at its Atlanta studios on June 27th at 9pm ET.
Jen O'Malley Dillon, the president's re-election campaign chair, suggested in a letter sent early Wednesday that one debate be held in late June, perhaps after the issue is resolved. President Trump's criminal trial is underway in New York and Biden's visit to the G7 summit in Italy. President Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal payments to adult film stars, and has pleaded not guilty. The Biden campaign has proposed holding a second debate in early September.
President Trump appears to have quickly accepted the June and September debate schedules proposed by the Biden campaign, saying he is “ready and willing” to debate his Democratic opponent at the two proposed times. ' he wrote on social media. But the would-be Republican presidential nominee said he would “strongly recommend” two or more debates in “very large venues.”
“Please let me know when you're coming,” Trump wrote.
in him my own video Sharing it on social media, the president urged his Republican opponents to confront him.
“Donald Trump lost to me twice in debates in 2020 and hasn't come to a debate since. Now he's acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, good luck today. Hey, dude, I'll do it too.' So let's set a date, Donald, I hear you're free on Wednesday,'' Biden said. President Trump's criminal trial will not begin Wednesday.
Donald Trump lost to me twice in debates in 2020. He has not appeared in a debate since then.
Now he acts as if he wants to argue with me again.
Well, good luck today, friends. pic.twitter.com/AkPmvs2q4u
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 15, 2024
In addition to making it clear that Biden plans to take on Trump, O'Malley Dillon also said that the president will not participate in debates hosted by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen presidential debates since 1988. Stated.
Instead, Mr. Biden plans to participate in a debate sponsored by a news organization, O'Malley Dillon said. She cited the committee's reluctance to force rules on candidates during the 2020 debates, as well as the large number of audience members in attendance that disrupted the event. The first debate was held between Trump and Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign. fell into chaos The hosts struggled to regain control of the event as Mr. Trump repeatedly interrupted and outspoken Mr. Biden.
In mid-March, Mr. Biden was confirmed as the Democratic presidential candidate and Mr. Trump was confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate. Setting up a rematch Winner of the 2020 White House Contest.
Biden's debate terminology
Under terms set by the Biden campaign, the first debate must be hosted by the broadcasting organization that oversaw the 2016 Republican primary debate, in which Mr. Trump participated, and the 2020 Democratic primary debate, in which Mr. Biden participated. be. Those that fall under these terms are CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and Telemundo. Telemundo and CNN host the Republican primary debate, which President Trump attended in 2016.
playing cards avoided the Republican primary debate In preparation for the 2024 election, he said he would accept Biden is “anytime, anywhere, anywhere.”
The Biden campaign continued that the debate should be one-on-one, a condition that would keep Robert Kennedy Jr., who is pursuing a third-party bid for the White House, away from the stage.
O'Malley Dillon said that limiting the debate to Biden and Trump “allows voters to compare the only two candidates who have a statistical chance of winning the Electoral College, and the We will no longer waste debate time on candidates who have no hope of winning.”
The camp said that the broadcast host should “choose the host from among the regular staff to avoid 'doorbelling' and partisanship, and that both parties' time should be divided equally and that answers should be answered to avoid discord.” We need to set a time limit for responses.” “A scene of mutual interruption.” O'Malley Dillon said candidates' microphones should only be activated when it's their turn to speak.
As for the vice presidential debate, the Biden campaign has proposed holding the first event in late July after the Republican National Convention and following the same terms as presidential debates.
“Since Donald Trump has said he will debate 'any time, any place,' we expect both sides to quickly accept an invitation for a broadcast media debate on the above terms,” she said. “Americans need a discussion about issues, not a boring discussion about arguments.”
Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.
