Topline
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign on Thursday said it will not commit to a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, at least until the Democratic Party makes a formal decision on its nominee, prompting the vice president to mock Trump on social media and accuse him of backpedaling.
Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two as she departs from Ellington Airport in Houston.
Key Facts
In a statement to the press, the Trump campaign’s Communications Director Steven Cheung claimed President Joe Biden’s dropping out had triggered “continued political chaos” and said: “The general election debate cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide their nominee.”
The statement implied Harris did not have a lock on the nomination yet and the Democrats were “still holding out for someone ‘better.’” pointing to her lack of endorsement from some prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.
Commenting on Trump’s refusal to debate her, Harris tweeted “What happened to ‘any time, any place’?”—referencing the former president’s previous assertion on debating Biden.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Washington earlier on Thursday, Harris said she is “ready to debate Donald Trump”, adding the “voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage.”
Harris also accused Trump of “backpedaling” after agreeing to participate in the second presidential debate scheduled for September 10 on ABC News.
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What To Watch For
The New York Times reported Obama has been in “regular touch” with Harris since she emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination and is expected to endorse her candidacy soon. Obama was reportedly reticent about endorsing Harris immediately to avoid making it look like a coronation. Citing a source familiar with Obama’s thinking an earlier report by the Times said the former president saw his role as someone who can “unite the party once we have a nominee.”
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