The Trump campaign is demanding that the presidential debates be scheduled earlier and more frequently in 2024.
They have asked the Commission on Presidential Debates to move up the three currently planned debates from September to October, citing the need to debate before millions of Americans begin early voting.
“While the Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced three presidential debates and a vice-presidential debate to occur later this year, we are in favor of these debates beginning much earlier,” Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote.
“By the date of the first proposed debate, September 16, 2024, over 1 million Americans will have likely voted,” they said. “By the date of the second proposed debate, October 1, 2024, the number of Americans who will have likely cast a ballot will be over 3 million, an increase of 225%.”
Over 1 million people are expected to vote before the first debate currently scheduled for September 16th.
The campaign argued more Americans need to see the candidates debate before voting starts.
“In 2020, the Commission ceded to the wishes of the Biden campaign on every front, refusing to move up the dates of the debates, failing to reschedule the debate canceled by COVID-19, cutting off President Trump’s microphone over and over in the middle of a debate, and in the case of the first debate, selecting a demonstrably anti-Trump moderator clearly positioned to aid Joe Biden. Fairness in such a setting is paramount and the Commission must ensure that the 2024 Commission-sponsored debates are truly fair and conducted impartially,” they wrote.
“The Commission must move up the timetable of its proposed 2024 debates to ensure more Americans have a full chance to see the candidates before they start voting, and we would argue for adding more debates in addition to those on the currently proposed schedule. We have already indicated President Trump is willing to debate anytime, anyplace, and anywhere – and the time to start these debates is now.”
The Biden campaign has been noncommittal about debating Trump, and polls show most voters see skipping debates as a sign of weakness.
The Republican National Committee supports more debates as well, saying the election calendar has grown longer while debates are still scheduled after millions vote.
“The RNC has long pushed for reforms that foster truly free and fair debates,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley & Co-Chairman Lara Trump wrote. “Election calendars have become longer than ever before — and scheduling debates after millions of Americans have already cast their ballots does a grave disservice to voters who want to hear solutions to the economic, border, and crime crises created by Joe Biden.”
“It’s no wonder that Biden wants to return to the basement and avoid accountability for his failures, but Americans deserve to see the contrast between his weaknesses and President Trump’s vision to Make America Great Again,” they wrote.
Media networks also want Biden to debate Trump to reduce polarization.
The Trump campaign says Biden wants to avoid accountability by staying in the basement and that Americans deserve a contrast of ideas.
