PROBABLY THE ONLY DEBATE BETWEEN HARRIS AND TRUMP

(updated Sept. 5, 2024)  The ABC News debate is set for the Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, and it appears this will be the only debate between Harris and Trump.  CBS News is hosting a vice presidential debate between Walz and  Vance on Oct. 1 (+). 

The ABC News debate is the result of an agreement worked out between the Biden and Trump campaigns in May.  After Harris succeeded President Biden as the Democratic standard-bearer, Trump seemed to hedge on his participation in the Sept. 10 debate.  Then during an Aug. 8 news conference Trump said he had agreed to three debates: ABC News on Sept. 10, FOX News on Sept. 4, and NBC News on Sept. 25.  However, the Harris campaign only agreed to the Sept. 10 debate.  In an Aug. 11 statement, the campaign said that, "We are open to another debate, and we’ll continue those conversations. But to be clear, any additional debate would be subject to Trump actually showing up on September 10. We’re not playing his games."  In late August there was more back and forth.  In a posting on TruthSocial, Trump again raised doubts about his participation the the ABC debate, while the Harris campaign introduced the question of mic muting.

Trump completely overwhelmed Biden in their June 27 encounter, and the key question surrounding the Sept. 10 debate is whether Harris, with her prosecutorial background, will fare any better.  As in the first debate, fact checkers will no doubt be kept very, very busy.


See also:
Madhusudan Katti.  "Trump's 'Gish Gallop' Debate Tactic Comes from Creationists."   Scientific American, Aug. 20, 2024.
 
Lorraine Ali.  "How Trump uses the 'Gish Gallop' to flood debates with lies and nonsense."  Los Angeles Times, Sept. 5, 2024.

PRE-DEBATE MANEUVERING
[communications in reverse chronological order]


ABC News
September 4, 2024

ABC News Releases Debate Rules for 2024 Presidential Debate on ABC, ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu

‘Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – ABC News Presidential Debate’ Will Air and Stream on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9:00 p.m. EDT

ABC News released today the debate rules for “Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – ABC News Presidential Debate” on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9:00 p.m. EDT, which will air live on ABC and stream live on the 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu, and is available for simulcast. The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center (525 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106). “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir and “World News Tonight” Sunday anchor and ABC News Live “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis will serve as moderators.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have qualified for the debate under the established criteria, and both have accepted the following debate rules, which include the following:

  •     The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
  •     The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions.
  •     A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; former President Donald Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left).
  •     Candidates will be introduced by the moderators.
  •     The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first.
  •     No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.
  •     Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate.
  •     Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage.
  •     No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.
  •     Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
  •     Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.
  •     Candidates’ microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.
  •     Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.
  •     Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.
  •     Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion.
  •     There will be no audience in the room.
SIMULCAST GRAPHIC: https://we.tl/t-ZfD97XZbEV

About ABC News
ABC News is America’s No. 1 news source, providing straightforward, fact-driven journalism across broadcast, streaming, digital and audio. ABC’s award-winning programs include “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “Nightline,” “20/20,” “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” and “The View.” Platforms include ABC News Live featuring “Prime with Linsey Davis,” ABC News Studios, ABC News Digital, ABC Audio, 538, and NewsOne. Based in New York City, ABC News is comprised of three U.S. bureaus and eight international bureaus, with a presence in more than 20 countries around the world.
About the National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization located in historic Philadelphia just steps from where the Constitution was drafted and signed, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for nonpartisan constitutional education and debate.

*COPYRIGHT ©2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC News. Images are distributed to the press to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.

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Harris for President
August 26, 2024

Harris Campaign Statement on Latest ABC Debate Negotiations 

Statement from Brian Fallon, Senior Advisor for Communications:

“We have told ABC and other networks seeking to host a possible October debate that we believe both candidates’ mics should be live throughout the full broadcast. Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own. We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button. The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”
Harris for President
August 15, 2024

Harris-Walz 2024 Statement on Debates

The following is a statement from Michael Tyler, Communications Director for Harris-Walz 2024, on the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates:

"The debate about debates is over. Donald Trump's campaign accepted our proposal for three debates — two presidential and a vice presidential debate. Assuming Donald Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Vice President Harris, then Governor Walz will see JD Vance on October 1 and the American people will have another opportunity to see the vice president and Donald Trump on the debate stage in October. Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future. The more they play games, the more insecure and unserious Trump and Vance reveal themselves to be to the American people. Those games end now.”

###

Excerpt from August 8, 2024 Trump News Conference

ed. note-Trump mixed up the dates of the proposed ABC and NBC debates—
ABC would be Sept. 10 and NBC Sept. 25

"With all of that being said, I think it's very important to have debates, and we've agreed with FOX on a date of September 4th. We've agreed with NBC, fairly full agreement, subject to them, on September 10th, and we've agreed with ABC on September 25th. So we have those three dates and those networks. They're very anxiously awaiting that date and those dates. So we have September, September 4th, September 10th and September 25th.

"We have spoken to the heads of the network, and it's all been confirmed, other than some fairly minor details, audience, some location, which, which city would we put it into? But all things that will be settled very easily, very— I think it'll be very easy.

"The other side has to agree to the terms. They may or may not agree. I don't know if they're going to agree. They— she hasn't done an interview. She can't do an interview; she's barely competent, and she can't do an interview.

"I look forward to the debates, because I think we have to set the record straight..."
Harris for President
August 3, 2024

Statement from Communications Director Michael Tyler: "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. He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10. The Vice President will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime time national audience. We’re happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to. Mr. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace should have no problem with that unless he’s too scared to show up on the 10th."
Democratic National Committee
August 2, 2024

AFRAID TO DEBATE: DNC To Launch Digital Homepage Takeovers In Newspapers In States That Trump Visits, Calling Him Out for Being Afraid to Debate

Starting today in Atlanta, DNC to buy out the digital homepages of local newspapers in states that Trump visits

For a week, Donald Trump has tried to dodge and talk his way out of his commitment to the presidential debate on September 10.

We know why: Vice President Harris stands up to fraudsters and criminals. Donald Trump is a convicted felon. She's fighting for reproductive freedom, he wants to ban abortion nationwide. She has a positive vision for the future that lifts everyone up, his unpopular Project 2025 agenda would drag us backwards. The last thing the Trump campaign wants is for voters to see that contrast in primetime.

Wherever Trump campaigns, the DNC is launching digital homepage takeovers starting in Atlanta on Saturday to slam Trump for his pathetic attempts to hide his extreme agenda from voters. Our message is simple: Trump is afraid to debate because he’s hiding from his toxic Project 2025 agenda.

On September 10, Vice President Harris will proudly stand behind her record and share her positive vision for America’s future. Donald Trump knows the only way he can win is if he hides his dangerous Project 2025 agenda – from supercharging inflation to enacting a nationwide abortion ban. Democrats will make sure voters know the truth about Trump’s plans and his cowardly attempts to back out of a substantive discussion.

Across the country, readers of battleground state newspapers will be reminded that Trump is afraid to defend his dangerous, unpopular policies he plans to impose on Americans if elected.

DNC Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump boasted he’d debate ‘anytime, anywhere,’ but after 34 felony convictions and one campaign meltdown after another, he’s running scared and attempting to dodge his commitment to a September debate. Trump knows all too well that the more voters hear about his plans to ban abortion nationwide, spike prices for the middle class, and subvert our democracy, the more determined voters will be to reject him in November. Trump’s extreme plans for America are catching up to him and Democrats won’t let him off the hook for his dangerous Project 2025 agenda. No matter where Trump is on September 10, voters know where he stands. Meanwhile, Vice President Harris will be on the debate stage to offer America the path forward – giving voters the choice to reject Trump’s MAGA extremism once and for all.”

###
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Aug. 2, 2024

 
 

Harris for President
August 2, 2024

Donald Trump Remains Too Scared to Debate Kamala Harris

“Why Should I Debate? Everyone Knows Me.”

This morning, in a Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo, Donald Trump was asked, yet again, if he will debate Vice President Harris.

And yet again, he dodged, squirmed, and made excuses for why he’s too scared to face Kamala Harris on the debate stage.

Trump who once said he would debate “any time, any place” is backing down from his commitment to debate. And it’s no mystery why.

The last time Trump faced tough questions at NABJ, he imploded in a “train wreck” of an interview that went “off the rails” seconds after it began and had to be abruptly cut off by his team.

Given another opportunity to back up his words with action, Trump apparently couldn’t muster the courage to face tough questions -- or his opponent -- on the debate stage.

Harris for President Co-chair Cedric Richmond released the following statement:

“Donald Trump needs to man up. He’s got no problem spreading lies and hateful garbage at his rallies or in interviews with right-wing commentators. But he’s apparently too scared to do it standing across the stage from the Vice President of the United States. Since he talks the talk, he should walk the walk and – as Vice President Harris said earlier this week – say it to her face on September 10. She’ll be there waiting to see if he’ll show up.”

Here’s a recap of Trump’s unhinged interview on Fox News:

  • Dodged a debate with the Vice President AGAIN (What happened to any time, any place?)
  • Said freeing wrongfully detained Americans was a “win for Putin” (Donald Trump famously freed more Taliban fighters and Iranian-backed militants but left Americans to rot in Russia.)
  • Lied about the VP’s position on fracking (She doesn’t support a fracking ban.)
  • Claimed the VP doesn’t have the support of law enforcement (He’s a convicted felon and she’s a former prosecutor.)
  • Presented no plan to cut the deficit (Makes sense: Trump added over $8 trillion to the national debt during his first term.)
  • Presented no plan to protect Social Security and Medicare (Reminder: he proposed cutting both programs every year he was in office.)
  • Complained he didn’t get credit for his COVID policy (Nearly half a million Americans died under his watch.)
  • Said, “our allies are the worst” (President Biden secured the release of Americans imprisoned abroad and brought them home yesterday with the help of our allies.)
  • Attacked a Jewish governor (He has a long history of parroting anti-semitic tropes.)
###



ABC News
May 15, 2024

ABC News Announces 2024 Election Presidential Debate Between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump Tuesday, Sept. 10, on ABC, ABC News Live and Hulu

ABC News announced today that a 2024 election presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The primetime debate will air on ABC, the 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live and Hulu.

ABC News will make the debate available to simulcast on additional broadcast and streaming news networks in America.

To qualify for participation, candidates must fulfill the requirements outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States; file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission; appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold to win the presidency prior to the eligibility deadline; agree to accept the rules and format of the debate; and receive at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet ABC’s standards for reporting.

Information on moderators, format and additional details will be provided at a later date.

About ABC News
ABC News is America’s No. 1 news source, providing straightforward, fact-driven journalism across broadcast, streaming, digital and audio. ABC’s award-winning programs include “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “Nightline,” “20/20,” “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” and “The View.” Other platforms include ABC News Live, ABC News Studios, ABC News Digital, ABC Audio, FiveThirtyEight, and NewsOne. Based in New York City, ABC News is comprised of three U.S. bureaus and eight international bureaus, with a presence in more than 20 countries around the world.

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