Vice President Kamala Harris stated on Thursday that she’s “ready to debate Donald Trump.” She claimed Trump is “backpedaling” from a prior agreement for a September 10 debate hosted by ABC News. Harris believes voters deserve to witness the clear contrast between them on the debate stage.
“I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage,” she said to the press.
Also read: Kamala Harris: 10 Lesser Known Facts About Presidential Candidate
The September 10 debate was one of two debates that President Joe Biden and Trump had agreed on. The first one was hosted by CNN on June 27, but Biden has since dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris as his successor.
Trump has said he would prefer to shift the debate to Fox News, but he would be willing to face off with Harris more than once. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he accused ABC of spreading fake news.
“My debate with Crooked Joe Biden, the Worst President in the history of the United States, was slated to be broadcast on Fake News ABC, the home of George Slopadopolus, sometime in September,” Trump wrote on July 21.
“Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC. Thank you! DJT.”
Meanwhile, Fox News, on Wednesday, jumped onto the opportunity and invited Harris and Trump for a debate in Pennsylvania – where Trump was shot at earlier in July.
Fox News president Jay Wallace and Vice president of Politics Jessica Locker said that they would be “open to discussion on the exact date, format and location – with or without an audience.”
Harris did not respond to a question about having Fox News host a debate.
Alex Conant, a Republican consultant, said the debate could be “decisive.” “It’s the only time voters really tune in,” he said.
Also read: Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump: Who Is Ahead In Latest Polls?
This year’s campaign has already shown the potential power of a debate. Biden’s disastrous performance on June 27 revived concerns that he was too old for a second term. His support within the Democratic Party crumbled, and he ended his reelection bid on Sunday.
(With inputs from the Associated Press)
