Twelve news organizations have urged presidential nominees Joe Biden and Donald Trump to agree to debates, as they are a longstanding tradition in American politics. The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates has set three presidential and one vice presidential forums, but Biden has not committed to debating Trump again, despite Trump’s willingness to participate. The stakes of the 2024 election are high, and the news organizations believe that there is no substitute for the candidates debating and presenting their visions for the future of the nation before the American people.
Biden and Trump debated twice in the 2020 election cycle, with a third debate being canceled after Trump tested positive for COVID-19. Biden has stated that agreeing to a debate with Trump will depend on his behavior, likely in reference to the contentious first debate in 2020. The Trump campaign has already indicated President Trump’s willingness to debate anytime, anywhere, and the campaign managers believe that the time to start these debates is now. They referenced historic debates like the seven 1858 Illinois Senate debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, suggesting that today’s America deserves as much.
The Republican National Committee voted in 2022 to no longer participate in forums sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, but the Trump campaign has not indicated whether they will adhere to that decision. The campaign has expressed concerns about the selection of a moderator they view as anti-Trump and wants assurances of fairness and impartiality in the debates. They also want the timetable moved up, as many Americans will have already voted by the dates of the debates set by the commission.
The Biden campaign has declined to comment on the news organizations’ letter, instead pointing to the president’s earlier statement that his commitment to debating Trump depends on his behavior. Trump, on the other hand, has been actively calling for debates with Biden, setting up a second lectern at a recent rally in Pennsylvania to symbolize Biden’s refusal to debate him. This has drawn attention to the issue of debates and their importance in shaping the direction of the country.
Various news organizations such as C-SPAN, NewsNation, Univision, and USA Today have joined the call for debates, citing the potential boost in viewership that debates can bring to television news. Ratings for TV news have been down compared to the 2020 campaign, with factors like cord-cutting and the pandemic contributing to this decline. The lack of Democratic debates this presidential cycle, coupled with Trump’s refusal to participate in GOP forums, has also played a role in depressing interest in debates.
In conclusion, debates play a crucial role in shaping the narrative of an election and giving voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates. The calls for Biden and Trump to agree to debates reflect the belief that these forums are essential in helping Americans make informed decisions about the future of the nation. Whether the candidates will ultimately participate in debates and how they will be structured remains to be seen, but the push from news organizations underscores the significance of this traditional aspect of presidential campaigns.
