Kamala Harris has challenged Donald Trump once again to a debate. The vice president is aiming to debate Donald Trump on CNN, on the 23rd of October, more than a month after early elections began.
She announced this on social media by quoting CNN’s Kaitlan Collin’s post.
I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23.
I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me. https://t.co/Trb8HUBsDh
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 21, 2024
Everybody knows this. CNN, which already hosted a debate in this cycle, did not randomly decide to host another debate after Harris had already refused to attend the Fox News or NBC News debates that were offered. The networks don’t normally host two debates on the same cycle.
This is a coordinated gambit cooked up by CNN and the Harris campaign. The former wants a mulligan for all the criticism it got for supposedly going soft on Trump (i.e. being fair and not constantly interrupting him) in the debate against Joe Biden. No doubt, Dana Bash is salivating at the opportunity to show she can be a complete hack as well. Meanwhile, Harris wants another chance to throw some highly scripted punches just before election day to build a little last-second hype.
Donald Trump did the right thing by telling the vice president the location of her challenge. According to the former President, there won’t be a third debate.
NO THIRD DEBATE – still the word from Trump team:
Senior advisor @JasonMillerinDC tells me: “Trump’s Truth on the matter stands”
“THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” Trump posted about a week ago.
— Libbey Dean (@LibbeyDean_) September 21, 2024
Trump brings up Kamala Harris accepting CNN’s invitation for a debate but says “it’s just too late.” Doesn’t sound like he wants to do it. pic.twitter.com/p4yBDlQkgC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 21, 2024
This decision is right for several reasons. Trump has done two debates. Trump’s positions on issues are known to every American voter. A debate will not help him to gain more popularity at this stage. He is the most exposed candidate in history. It’s at best a chance to give a better performance, and maybe land a few punches that no one will remember after two days. The risk is too high to get a big reward.
Why on earth should CNN have another debate? It’s the lowest-rated cable news network. CNN should not be hosting debates at all, let alone two presidential debates within a single cycle. Republicans need to show that they won’t be bullied any longer. The ABC News debate was the most unproductive and biased in recent history, surpassing the Candy Crowley fiasco from 2012. It’s enough.
CNN is the lowest rated major cable news network. There is no reason to keep treating it as a privileged entity that gets to host multiple presidential debates.
CNN should get zero debates.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) September 21, 2024
As I mentioned above, Harris has already missed two previous debates. She can’t dictate to her opponent in this manner. She should have appeared on Fox News if she wanted to hold a second debate. Trump has a point when he says that it is “too late.” The voting has begun. Debating has ended. Now, it’s about the ground war and not trying to boost ratings for a network that is in trouble like CNN.
