Harris Demands Debate With Trump, Who Chickens Out

Vice President Kamala Harris has told reporters that she’s “ready to debate Donald Trump.”

The September 10 debate was one of two debates on which President Joe Biden and Trump had agreed. I Photo: Gage Skidmore Flickr

She accused him of “backpedaling” from a previous agreement for a debate hosted by ABC News on September 10 as Trump surrogates said the debate was off until Harris becomes the official Democratic nominee, Josh Boak and Chris Megerian reported for the Associated Press (AP).

“I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage,” she said after landing at Joint Base Andrews following a trip to Indiana and Texas.

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 campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement late Thursday that debate arrangements “cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide on their nominee.”

He added, “Democrats very well could still change their minds.” Alex Conant, a Republican consultant, said the debate could be “decisive.” “It’s the only time voters really tune in,” he said.