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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 15 april 2024
News organizations urge Biden and Trump to commit to presidential

debates during the 2024 campaign

By DAVID BAUDER campaign to say publicly also wants the timetable
AP Media Writer that it will participate in the moved up, saying that
NEW YORK (AP) — Twelve three presidential and one many Americans will have
news organizations on Sun- vice presidential forums set already voted by Sept.
day urged presumptive by the nonpartisan Com- 16, Oct. 1 and Oct. 9, the
presidential nominees Joe mission on Presidential De- dates of the three debates
Biden and Donald Trump to bates. set by the commission.
agree to debates, saying “If there is one thing Ameri- The Biden campaign de-
they were a “rich tradition” cans can agree on during clined comment on the
that have been part of ev- this polarized time, it is that news organizations’ let-
ery general election cam- the stakes of this election ter, pointing to the presi-
paign since 1976. are exceptionally high,” dent’s earlier statement.
While Trump, who did not the organizations said in There was no immediate
participate in debates for a joint statement. “Amidst response from the Trump
the Republican nomina- that backdrop, there is campaign.
tion, has indicated a will- simply no substitute for the Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe But on Saturday, Trump held
ingness to take on his 2020 candidates debating with Biden, right, answers a question as President Donald Trump a rally in northeast Pennsyl-
rival, the Democratic presi- each other, and before the listens during the second and final presidential debate Oct. 22, vania with two lecterns set
dent has not committed to American people, their vi- 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Associated Press up on the stage: one for
debating him again. sions for the future of our him to give a speech, the
Although invitations have nation.” the letter. Trump, then president, test- other to symbolize what he
not been formally issued, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, PBS, Biden and Trump debated ed positive for COVID-19 said was Biden’s refusal to
the news organizations said NBC, NPR and The Associ- twice in 2020. A third de- and would not debate re- debate him. The second
it was not too early for each ated Press all signed on to bate was canceled after motely. lectern had a placard that
Asked on March 8 wheth- read, “Anytime. Anywhere.
er he would commit to a Anyplace.”
debate with Trump, Biden Midway through his cam-
said, “it depends on his be- paign speech, Trump
havior.” The president was turned to his right and
visibly miffed by his oppo- pointed to the second lec-
nent in the freewheeling tern.
first 2020 debate, at one “We have a little, look at
point saying, “will you shut this, it’s for him,” he said.
up?” “See the podium? I’m call-
Trump campaign manag- ing on Crooked Joe Biden
ers Susie Wiles and Chris to debate anytime, any-
LaCivita said in a letter this where, any place. Right
past week that “we have there. And we have to de-
already indicated Presi- bate because our country
dent Trump is willing to de- is going in the wrong direc-
bate anytime, any place tion so badly and while it’s
and anywhere — and the a little bit typically early we
time to start these debates have to debate. We have
is now.” to explain to the American
They cited the seven 1858 people what the hell is go-
Illinois Senate debates ing on,” Trump said.
between Abraham Lin- C-SPAN, NewsNation and
coln and Stephen Doug- Univision also joined the
las, saying “certainly to- letter calling for debates.
day’s America deserves as Only one newspaper, USA
much.” Today, added its voice. The
The Republican National Washington Post declined
Committee voted in 2022 a request to join.
to no longer participate in Certainly the broadcasters
forums sponsored by the could use the juice that de-
Commission on Presidential bates may bring. Television
Debates. The Trump cam- news ratings are down sig-
paign has not indicated nificantly compared with
it would adhere to that, the 2020 campaign, al-
but did have some condi- though there are other fac-
tions. The campaign man- tors involved, such as cord-
agers said the commission cutting and the pandemic,
selected a “demonstrably that increased interest in
anti-Trump moderator” in news four years ago.
then-Fox News host Chris There were no Democratic
Wallace in 2020 and wants debates this presidential
assurances the commission cycle, and Trump’s refusal
debates are fair and impar- to participate in the GOP
tial. forums depressed interest
The Trump campaign in them.q