WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign on Wednesday challenged Republican nominee Donald Trump to two debates staged in a television studio ahead of the November election — a departure from the traditional system that has been used.
Trump responded quickly, saying he disagreed with Biden’s call not to debate in front of a crowd, but accepting the proposed dates and indicating he was eager to debate as well.
Later in the morning, Biden said on X who had accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in a debate on June 27th. In a statement, CNN reported that the debate would be at 9 pm.
“It’s your decision, Donald. As you said: anywhere, anytime, anywhere,” Biden said.
Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon wrote in a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) – the organization that has coordinated presidential debates for decades – that Biden will not participate in any of their debates and will instead , will only do those hosted directly by media outlets.
“We believe the first debate should be in late June, after Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York is likely over and after President Biden returns from meeting world leaders at the G7 Summit,” wrote O’Malley Dillon .
She added that it should be presented by any broadcast organization that hosted a 2016 Republican primary debate, in which Trump participated, and a 2020 Democratic primary debate, in which Biden participated.
“A second presidential debate should be held in early September, at the start of the fall campaign season, early enough to influence early voting but not so late as to require candidates to abandon the campaign in the critical late period. September and October,” the letter said.
Trump responded on Truth Social Wednesday morning saying he agrees with the proposed times: “I am ready and willing to debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September. I would strongly recommend more than two debates, and for enthusiasm purposes , a very large venue, although Biden is reportedly afraid of crowds – that’s just because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there.
“Let’s get ready to make some noise!!!” Trump added.
O’Malley Dillion listed the proposed rules for the debates: firm deadlines for responses, alternating speaking turns “so that time is divided equally and we have an exchange of views, not a spectacle of mutual interruption.” She added that the candidate’s microphone should only be active when it is their turn to speak.
The letter also proposed that the vice-presidential debate be held in late July, following the Republican National Convention.
She explained that the Biden campaign opposes the CPD debates because they are scheduled to “begin after the American people have a chance to vote early and do not conclude until tens of millions of Americans have already voted.” She explained that the committee debates have become “big spectacles with big audiences” and that it should just be the two candidates at one TV studio with moderators O’Malley Dillion also said the CPD did not enforce its own rules in 2020.
Along with the letter, Biden posted a brief video about X challenging Trump to debate him. He joked that he hears Trump is free on Wednesdays, alluding to Trump’s criminal trial in New York, which is not in session that day.
“Donald Trump lost two debates for me in 2020,” he said. “Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, friend. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear that you are free on Wednesdays.”
For his part, Trump indicated in February that he wanted to debate Biden “immediately,” saying: “I would like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country.”
In an April letter, Trump’s campaign co-managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a letter that the debates should be held as soon as possible. “Although the Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate to take place later this year, we are in favor of these debates beginning much sooner.”
The letter made it clear that the Trump campaign is also in favor of moving forward with the debates because it would give voters the opportunity to see the candidates before they cast their votes. They also stated that they would support the addition of even more debates, in addition to the three that the CPD had previously scheduled.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
