Well, it sure took long enough, but the Harris-Walz campaign has conceded to additional debates with President Trump and his running mate, JD Vance. On Thursday, the Harris-Walz team agreed to participate in two of the three proposed presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate. This decision comes after President Trump and his campaign extended multiple debate invitations, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive discussion on the future of the country.
The Harris-Walz campaign released a statement confirming their participation in three debates: two presidential and one vice-presidential. “Assuming Donald Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Harris, then Governor Walz will see JD Vance on October 1,” the statement read. This marks a notable shift, given that Harris initially rejected debates on Fox News and NBC but agreed to the September 10 debate on ABC News and a potential October debate.
BREAKING: The Harris campaign just released a statement agreeing to participate just two of the three presidential debates President Trump challenged Kamala to and one of the two VP debates JD Vance challenged Walz to. pic.twitter.com/SRdA7hVjve
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 15, 2024
Trump had initially committed to two debates with Biden, set for June 27 and September 10. However, Biden’s withdrawal from the race in late July led to Harris emerging as the Democratic nominee, gaining substantial momentum in the polls.
On the vice-presidential front, Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance are slated to debate on October 1, hosted by CBS News. Vance had pushed for a second debate on September 18, hosted by CNN, but the Harris campaign has maintained that only one vice-presidential debate will take place, adhering to tradition.
During a campaign event in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Vance voiced his eagerness for more debates, stating, “I think we ought to do as many debates as we possibly can.” He stressed the importance of standing before the American people and earning their vote, rather than taking it for granted. Vance’s call for multiple debates underscores the Republican campaign’s strategy to highlight the contrasts between their vision and that of the Democratic ticket.
This development has sparked renewed discussion on social media, particularly regarding Walz’s decision to skip a debate during his 2022 re-election campaign. Critics have resurfaced an image from the debate, showing Walz’s Republican challenger, Scott Jensen, standing opposite an empty podium, casting doubt on Walz’s commitment to public discourse.
Be careful, Tim Walz knows a thing or two about not showing up to debates https://t.co/pUtnYi17wt pic.twitter.com/jXt4Wo6d5l
— Scott Jensen (@drscottjensen) August 14, 2024
The debates provide a crucial platform for candidates to articulate their policies and respond to pressing national issues. For the Harris-Walz campaign, agreeing to additional debates signals a willingness to engage directly with their opponents and address voters’ concerns albeit VERY reluctantly. Harris would like to hide as much as possible. For the Trump-Vance campaign, the debates represent an opportunity to challenge the Democratic platform and rally their base.
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