Harris v. Trump: Is Sept. 10 debate on shaky ground (Getty)
Donald Trump had a meltdown yesterday after, he claims, Kamala Harris backed out of a debate that Trump had set for Sept. 4 on Fox News. (Does a day ever pass without Trump melting down about something?) In typical Trump fashion, his statement on the matter is filled with deceit, and he blames someone else for a problem that he caused. We will provide details in a moment, but here are key takeaways:
(1) Harris had never agreed to a debate on Fox News, so she did not back out of anything. At this moment, it's not clear if Harris actually has declined any debate with Trump. He essentially put those words in her mouth after unilaterally setting up the Fox News date, apparently without seeking any input from the Harris camp;
(2) Harris says she is planning to debate Trump on ABC News Sept. 10, a date both parties have agreed to in writing. She has said she will attend that event and hopes Trump will do the same.
(3) Trump claims he could terminate the ABC agreement once Joe Biden stepped out of the race, allowing Harris to move to the top of the Democratic ticket. In other words, Trump claims he had agreed to debate Biden -- and only Biden. The contract, as we will learn in a moment, does not say that. A gentleman named Matt McDermott has played a major role in educating the public about the actual debate terms.
(4) Trump now has pulled out of the ABC debate and insists that he will debate Harris only on Fox News, even though he admits she has not agreed to it. So, who is responsible for this jumbled mess? The answer is Trump.
(5) What could be a sticking point here? A report at PBS provides a clue:
Trump now says he will appear on Fox News on Sept. 4 in Pennsylvania with rules that he called “similar” to his debate with Biden, but with a full audience instead of a mostly empty studio. Trump said that if Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, does not agree to the new network and date, he will do a “major Town Hall” with Fox News.
When Joe Biden and his team negotiated the original debate terms, they wisely included terms -- no live studio audience, moderators would have the ability to cut off microphones -- that would help ensure the event did not turn into a free-for-all. Harris likely knows a studio audience would include a heaping helping of wild-eyed, raucous MAGA types who would make it virtually impossible for her to speak and be heard. She likely is insisting that the parties stick to the terms in the original agreement, which are still in place. In my view, that would be a wise move. Trump is trying to pull a scam that would put Harris in an uncomfortable position, where she cannot even communicate. She should insist that the original agreement, which still is in force, be followed.
What about reporting in the press on the latest debate tempest? The New Republic (TNR) got into the proper mood with this headline: "Trump Melts Down After Harris’s Debate Decision Leaves Him Rattled; Donald Trump is scrambling to seem tougher than Kamala Harris on presidential debates. Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling writes:
While the Democratic National Convention was kicking off in Chicago, Donald Trump was posting to Truth Social, claiming that Vice President Kamala Harris had rejected a debate against him on Fox News on September 4.
“Comrade Kamala Harris has just informed us that she will NOT do the FoxNews Debate on September 4th,” Trump wrote. “I am not surprised by this development because I feel that she knows it is very difficult, at best, for her to defend her record-setting Flip-Flopping on absolutely everything she once believed in, including her statements that THERE WILL BE NO FRACKING IN PENNSYLVANIA and her HORRIBLE Performance on the Border, our ‘Border Czar,’ where millions of criminals and people from mental institutions and terrorists, have been allowed to pour into our Country, totally unchecked and unvetted. It’s called, and she LOVES IT, an OPEN BORDER!!!”
But, according to Trump, the show would go on—with or without his Democratic opponent.
“Rather than the debate on September 4th, I have agreed to do a Tele-Town Hall, anchored by Sean Hannity, for Fox,” Trump continued. “It will take place in the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—Details to follow!”
The September 4 debate was not originally in the cards. Traditionally, a presidential cycle has two debates between the presidential candidates, as well as one debate between the potential vice presidents. But during a short-notice press conference at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month, Trump spontaneously announced that he was willing to face off against Harris three times before November: September 4 on Fox News, September 10 on NBC News, and another September 25 debate on ABC News. (Trump mixed up the stations of the last two debates, but got the dates correct.)
Harris’s camp had not initially signed on to the Fox debate, and it’s currently unclear whether she’s actually rejected the date outright, as Trump suggested. The first official debate is scheduled for September 10.
The drama of it all may be an aggressive strategy for Trump to reframe himself as unafraid to show down against the famed prosecutor after he stunningly disappointed some of his fans by backing out of one of the debates earlier this month. (He has since flip-flopped.) Fans were so upset by the supposed strongman’s decision that they got the hashtag “#TrumpIsACoward” trending on Truth Social after the news broke.
Democratic pollster Matt McDermott unquestionably is the most knowledgeable person on this subject -- in fact, he has shot holes through Trump's unlawful claims related to the matter -- so let's examine his words on questions raised by this post:
(1) How did Trump get it so wildly wrong on terms for any debates -- terms that still are in force, per the original contract? This report from Raw Story helps explain:
Donald Trump says he only agreed to debate President Joe Biden, and not Vice President Kamala Harris, on ABC, but the terms of the actual debate agreement didn't make that specification, according to one pollster.
Trump has declared his refusal to debate Harris, who has now clinched the Democratic nomination, on ABC, saying he would instead insist on a Fox News debate with an audience. For her part, Harris has said she will show up at the previously agreed debate, whether the former president attends or not.
Trump claims Biden's decision to drop out warrants a new negotiation with Harris' team over the new terms of their debate, but that's not quite true, according to Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott.
"I keep seeing a talking point from Trump supporters that Trump agreed to 'debate Biden' on ABC. That’s not accurate," McDermott said. "Trump agreed to debate terms that invite any and all candidates who meet a polling and ballot- access threshold. The terms did not specify Biden," he wrote on social media. "The terms of the ABC debate have remained the same. Absolutely nothing changed."
McDermott goes on to say, "The only thing that’s changed is the candidates who meet the terms."
"Trump backed out for one reason: he’s afraid to debate Kamala Harris," the pollster said. "There’s no other explanation."
He went on to link to ABC's site outlining the existing presidential debate terms.
"Here are the terms of the ABC News debate. You’ll find that, despite Trump supporter attempts to claim that Trump only agreed to 'debate Biden,' the name 'Joe Biden' is mentioned zero times in the debate terms," he added.
(2) Here are additional insights on the debate terms fromAlternet, where Elizabeth Preza writes under the headline "'Factually untrue': Strategist dispels GOP talking point on Trump’s debate agreement":
Democratic strategist Matt McDermott has fact-checked an effort by Republican operatives to claim Donald Trump did not walk back a specific agreement to debate Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 10 on ABC News.
Donald Trump challenged Harris to a Fox News-hosted debate on Sept. 4 and claimed the Sept. 10 ABC News debate “has been terminated in that [President Joe] Biden will no longer be a participant.”McDermott pointed out " the ABC News debate is not ‘terminated,’” and argued Trump “is actually afraid of debating” Harris.
The Harris campaign on Saturday likewise claimed Trump is “running scared” by avoiding the ABC News debate.
Replying to a tweet purportedly posted by a “Forensic Video Analyst for USMS/DHS/CBP,” which argued there was no “specific messaging from the Trump campaign to this exact debate date and network against” Harris, McDermott argued “the debate agreement outlined terms of the debate, which are about viability, not specific candidates.”
“ Trump agreed to the terms of the ABC [News] debate,” McDermott wrote. “They make zero reference to Biden or any other candidate.”A July 26 ABC News memo outlined the debate qualifications, which “ include the following”:
All participants must meet the requirements outlined in Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution to serve as president and must have filed a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. All participants must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots, as certified by the Secretary of State or the relevant election authority in each state, to attain a majority (270) of electoral votes in the presidential election by Sept. 3, 2024. All participants must agree to accept the rules and format of the debate, as formulated by ABC News.
Candidates must also “reach at least 15 percent support in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters,” with the final determination on eligibility to be made “after Sept.3.
(3) Here are insights from Newsweek, again citing McDermott, with Ewan Palmer reporting under the headline "Donald Trump's Rules for Kamala Harris Debate Spark Mockery: 'Terrified'" Palmer writes:
Donald Trump has been mocked after he announced that he has accepted a Fox News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
A number of Trump critics have accused the former president of being "terrified" to debate Harris in a neutral setting, and will only face off against the 2024 Democratic candidate under rules determined by the conservative news network and in front of a crowd of his supporters.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he has agreed to take part in a September 4 debate, moderated by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, held in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Trump said the rules of the September 4 debate will be similar to the ones at the June 27 CNN debate between him and President Joe Biden, which featured muted microphones, but this time will feature a "full arena audience." (Note: The original contract, which still is in force, does not allow for "a full arena audience" -- and Trump agreed to those terms.)
It is not known if Harris has accepted the terms of the Fox News debate. The Democrat was previously prepared to face off against Trump at the pre-arranged ABC News debate on September 10, which had been scheduled before Biden ended his reelection campaign.
Michael Tyler, Harris' campaign communications director, later accused Trump of "running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out.In response to Trump's announcement, X (formerly Twitter), account for the liberal media network Meidas Touch posted: "Donald Trump has again said he is BACKING OUT of the scheduled ABC debate.
"He says he will only debate on his safe space on Fox News with a packed arena and moderators of his choosing. He is absolutely terrified of Kamala Harris."
Columnist Laura Bassett said Harris is still going to "show up to the ABC debate he's backing out of and get the photo op with the empty podium. He's an idiot.
"Saying he's confident enough to debate Biden on ABC but only confident enough to debate Kamala on Fox, in a big full MAGA arena set up to be as close as possible to one of his own rallies, is humiliating, and should be treated as such."
While referencing the Olympic gold medalist swimmer and mocking Trump's tendency to occasionally post in all caps, former Barack Obama speechwriter David Litt said: "I HAVE AGREED TO A SWIM MEET WITH KATIE LEDECKY SO LONG AS SHE WEARS A FULL SUIT OF ARMOR AND HOLDS HER BREATH THE WHOLE TIME ALSO I GET A JET SKI."
Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott added: "Let's be clear: the ABC News debate is not 'terminated.' It's scheduled, and both candidates already agreed to participate. Donald Trump is backing out, because he's afraid of actually debating Kamala Harris.
"It's not even worth responding to the laughably absurd suggestion that Fox, a propaganda arm of the Republican Party that's actively working to elect Donald Trump, host a presidential debate."
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: "As everyone knows, the Democrats have Unconstitutionally taken a Candidate, who was acknowledged to be defeated, and unceremoniously replaced him with a new Candidate.
"This has never been done before, and is a Threat to Democracy, but I am totally prepared to accept the results of this 'coup,' and replace Joe on the Debate stage with Crazy Kamala Harris. I spent Hundreds of Millions of Dollars, Time, and Effort fighting Joe, and when I won the Debate, they threw a new Candidate into the ring. Not fair, but it is what it is!
"Nevertheless, different Candidate or not, their bad Policies are the same, and this will be strongly revealed at the September 4th Debate. I look forward to meeting and debating Kamala Harris on September 4th. This date is convenient and appropriate in that it is just prior to the September 6th start of Early Voting in the 2024 Presidential Election."
Harris' campaign team accused Trump of being "too scared" to face the vice president in a debate and that the Republican "needs to man up."
