Former President Donald Trump is reportedly chickening out of the second presidential debate, insisting on a new date, setting and format that he thinks will favor him. But Vice President Kamala Harris, the de facto Democratic presidential nominee, plans to appear at the initially scheduled place and time — Sept. 10 on ABC — regardless of whether or not Trump shows. It’s a smart move that’ll help lay bare both Trump’s self-doubt, and his lack of interest in anything civic-minded that doesn’t help him.
For months, Trump obsessed over the idea of a debate against President Joe Biden, framing his eagerness as “for the good of the country.” He told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt last year that he was ready to do “10 debates” with the president. In May, Biden’s and Trump’s campaigns agreed on the format for two presidential debates. And after Biden’s disastrous first debate performance, Trump didn’t express hesitation over the second debate scheduled for September and moderated by ABC News.
Trump’s new debate terms give the game away.
But with Biden out of the race and with Harris set to replace him, Trump’s thinking has changed. He posted on Truth Social on Friday that the agreement he had made with Biden was “terminated” because “Biden will no longer be a participant, and I am in litigation against ABC Network …. thereby creating a conflict of interest.”
Neither excuse makes sense. Trump’s lawsuit against ABC — concerning anchor George Stephanopoulos’ saying Trump had been found “liable for rape” — was filed in March, weeks before he agreed to the ABC debate. And Trump and Biden didn’t just to agree to the debate because they thought it’d be a good time. They did so because they were considered de facto nominees for their parties. Now Harris is all but certain to be the nominee, so it only makes sense that she would take Biden’s place in the debate.
Indeed, Trump isn’t even pretending the debate is entirely off. He has instead proposed a new date and — more important — a new format. The debate, he says, should be held on Trump-worshipping turf at Fox News, and it should take place before a “full arena audience.”
Trump’s new debate terms give the game away. Now that he fears embarrassment against an energetic new candidate who can communicate far more effectively than her predecessor, he wants to rig the environment with moderators and audience members who are far more likely to make him look more competent, reasonable and well-liked than his opposition.
This ploy tracks with Trump’s prior attitudes toward debates. While Trump was gunning for months for a debate with Biden, he refused to participate in a single debate in the Republican presidential primaries. Rather than participate for the “good of the country” or even just his party, he sought to delegitimize the Republican debates and even held events simultaneously to draw viewers away from them. His goal was clear: to sideline the opposition and turn the primaries into a coronation. And the result was equally clear: Trump showed disdain for the idea of public accountability and informing the public about his record or future policies.
Trump’s threat to no-show the Sept. 10 debate makes Harris’ appearance that night a win-win scenario. If Trump doesn’t show up, she’ll get a sizable (albeit most likely more modest) prime-time audience and an opportunity to speak at length with the American people about her background, her policies and her vision of the future. Moreover, Trump’s non-appearance will generate countless headlines making him look cowardly. If, on the other hand, Trump reverses course and shows up, Harris will have an opportunity to showcase her policies and draw a contrast with her mendacious, rambling and authoritarian opponent. Trump will no longer benefit from going up against a candidate who was no longer fit for the debate stage.
Regardless of how this shakes out, the entire back-and-forth works to Harris’ benefit. Trump looks afraid, and his desire to set up contests only where he thinks he can win is evident for all to see.
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