On July 17th, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, personally visited Donald J. Trump at his private club in Bedminster, N.J to convince him to participate in the party’s first sanctioned debate for the presidential nominating contest. During their conversation, McDaniel warned Trump that by skipping the debate, he would give President Biden an excuse not to debate him in a potential rematch in 2024. Despite this warning, Trump has reportedly made up his mind not to participate in the first debate.
Instead, Trump opted to do a taped interview with Tucker Carlson, the former host of Fox News, which will be posted online on Wednesday. He also indicated on his social media site, Truth Social, that he may not participate in any debates with his primary rivals, claiming his wide lead in the polls as a reason. However, McDaniel’s argument resonated with the Trump campaign’s goal of getting both Trump and Biden on stage together. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to debate Biden, and his advisors believe that these face-offs are crucial to his chances of winning.
While it is early to be discussing general election debates, with months to go until the Iowa caucuses, the Trump campaign is already considering potential matchups against Biden. This strong desire for debates may clash with the RNC’s efforts to find an alternative to the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) for hosting general election debates. Since 1976, every presidential race has featured televised debates overseen by the CPD, a bipartisan organization. The Republican Party wanted to break away from this tradition after the 2020 election. However, if the CPD format is the only way to ensure a debate with Biden, Trump may be open to returning to it.
The RNC has been advocating for changes to how debates are conducted since 2021 and has been searching for a non-CPD debate host. However, the decision to participate in debates ultimately lies with the nominees’ campaigns and not with the RNC. The RNC has implemented a “beat Biden pledge” that requires candidates to sign in order to participate in primary debates and only participate in RNC-sanctioned general election debates. Trump has not yet signed this pledge as he has not committed to attending a primary debate. The Trump campaign’s ultimate goal is to have as many debates as possible between Trump and Biden, and they will do whatever it takes to achieve that.
There have been no discussions about debates between the CPD and any of the campaigns yet. Typically, the CPD reveals the locations, dates, and criteria for the general election debates in October, after the nomination process concludes. The CPD has been a source of frustration for nominees from both parties due to its monopoly on general election debates. Republicans specifically have criticized the CPD, especially after the 2012 election when one of the moderators, Candy Crowley, fact-checked Mitt Romney during a debate with Barack Obama.
In the 2020 election, Trump’s team was unhappy with the choice of moderator for the first CPD debate, Chris Wallace of Fox News. When the CPD announced that the second debate would be virtual, Trump refused to participate, and Biden followed suit. The decision to make the second debate virtual came after concerns were raised about Trump’s health following the first debate. It was later revealed that Trump had tested positive for Covid-19 days before the debate, raising questions about whether this information was concealed from the CPD.
Biden’s team also had issues with the CPD in 2020, particularly regarding Covid protocols. They were upset when several members of the Trump family removed their masks during the first debate, putting people at risk. The Biden campaign may press for specific rules in future debates, such as conducting them without a live audience.
While there is speculation that Trump’s decision not to participate in a primary debate could lead to Biden refusing to debate him, it remains to be seen whether Biden would be willing to break with tradition and skip a debate. Further discussions about debates and potential rules will take place closer to the election, and the CPD is expected to announce details in October.
In conclusion, the push for debates between Trump and Biden has created tension between the Trump campaign and the RNC, which has been seeking an alternative to the CPD. Trump’s decision not to participate in the first debate raises questions about his commitment to debating his primary rivals and highlights his campaign’s eagerness to face off against Biden. The CPD has been a target of criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, and it remains to be seen how debates will be conducted in the 2024 election.
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