Vice President Kamala Harris is committed to attending the previously agreed-upon debate set for September 10 on ABC, regardless of former President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Harris intends to use the debate airtime even if Trump does not show up. ABC News has not commented on whether it will proceed with the debate if only Harris attends.
Trump announced late Friday that he agreed to participate in a debate hosted by Fox News on September 4 instead, abandoning the ABC debate initially planned when President Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee. The Fox News debate will be moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum and is set to take place in Pennsylvania with a full arena audience.
Michael Tyler, Harris' campaign communications director, criticized Trump's decision. "Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out," Tyler said. "He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on September 10."
Harris, who secured the necessary delegate votes to clinch the Democratic nomination, has maintained her commitment to the original debate schedule. "It's interesting how 'any time, any place' becomes 'one specific time, one specific safe space,'" Harris wrote on social media platform X. "I'll be there on September 10, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there."
In response to Harris' steadfastness, Trump took to Truth Social, suggesting that Harris is "afraid to do it" and reiterating his intention to debate on September 4, or not at all. Trump's abrupt change of plans has sparked widespread criticism and accusations of avoiding a fair confrontation.
David Plouffe, an adviser to former President Barack Obama who recently joined the Harris campaign, ridiculed Trump's move. "Now, he seems only comfortable in a cocoon, asking his happy place Fox to host a Trump rally and call it a debate. Maybe he can only handle debating someone his own age," Plouffe posted on social media. Trump is 78, while Harris is 59.
Former Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who will turn 100 on October 1, also weighed in. "I'm only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Trump justified his withdrawal from the ABC debate by citing ongoing litigation with ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos. Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against Stephanopoulos, who claimed that Trump had been "found liable for rape" in the E. Jean Carroll case. Trump was ordered to pay $83 million for defamatory statements made about Carroll.
Despite Trump's withdrawal, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched an advertising campaign taunting him. The campaign, released on Friday, labeled Trump a "convicted felon afraid to debate" and questioned if his hesitation was due to his stance on abortion.
Harris' team remains open to further debates after September 10. "We're happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to," Tyler said. "Mr. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace should have no problem with that unless he's too scared to show up on the 10th."
The political maneuvering around the debates underscores the high stakes of the 2024 presidential election. Recent polls indicate a tight contest between Harris and Trump, who had previously enjoyed a larger lead over Biden. The upcoming debates are expected to play a crucial role in shaping voter perceptions as the election draws closer.
