ABC ‘full steam ahead’ for presidential debate, despite Trump backing off commitment
ABC News is continuing preparations for an upcoming presidential debate, despite former President Donald Trump saying he won’t consider participating in a debate until the Democratic Party formally chooses its nominee.
ABC News is pushing forward with preparations to host a presidential debate, even as former President Donald Trump has expressed his reluctance to participate until the Democratic Party officially selects its nominee. An insider from the ABC network shared with CNN on Friday that they are moving "full steam ahead" despite the uncertainty. The debate, which is set to be moderated by renowned anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis, could still face potential disruptions, given the unpredictable nature of this year's political landscape.
Trump, the Republican nominee, clarified his stance during a press call earlier this week, stating, "I haven't agreed to anything. I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden." He went on to express his interest in debating with the Democratic nominee, acknowledging the importance of debating in a presidential race. Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has agreed to the September 10 debate and criticized Trump for seemingly backing down from his earlier challenge of "any time, any place."
The traditional Commission on Presidential Debates has been set aside this time, with campaigns opting for direct arrangements with television networks. NBC is reportedly in discussions with the campaigns, but the nature of these discussions remains unclear. Prior to Biden's departure from the race, both campaigns had agreed to debates hosted by CNN and ABC, with Harris also agreeing to a vice presidential debate on CBS. The CNN debate, in particular, highlighted Biden's lackluster performance, fueling calls for the elderly president to step down.
Trump has suggested moving the ABC debate to the right-wing network Fox News, and Fox has extended an invitation to both campaigns, which remains unanswered. The specifics of the ABC News debate, including location, rules, and format, have not yet been disclosed. While an ABC spokesperson declined to comment, a senior advisor to the Trump campaign, Jason Miller, assured that "a debate will happen," even if it's not with ABC. He emphasized the importance of diversifying the outlets hosting the debates and expressed hopes for more than one debate against Kamala Harris in the general election.
Trump, the Republican nominee, clarified his stance during a press call earlier this week, stating, "I haven't agreed to anything. I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden." He went on to express his interest in debating with the Democratic nominee, acknowledging the importance of debating in a presidential race. Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has agreed to the September 10 debate and criticized Trump for seemingly backing down from his earlier challenge of "any time, any place."
The traditional Commission on Presidential Debates has been set aside this time, with campaigns opting for direct arrangements with television networks. NBC is reportedly in discussions with the campaigns, but the nature of these discussions remains unclear. Prior to Biden's departure from the race, both campaigns had agreed to debates hosted by CNN and ABC, with Harris also agreeing to a vice presidential debate on CBS. The CNN debate, in particular, highlighted Biden's lackluster performance, fueling calls for the elderly president to step down.
Trump has suggested moving the ABC debate to the right-wing network Fox News, and Fox has extended an invitation to both campaigns, which remains unanswered. The specifics of the ABC News debate, including location, rules, and format, have not yet been disclosed. While an ABC spokesperson declined to comment, a senior advisor to the Trump campaign, Jason Miller, assured that "a debate will happen," even if it's not with ABC. He emphasized the importance of diversifying the outlets hosting the debates and expressed hopes for more than one debate against Kamala Harris in the general election.