As the year grows closer to November, the national political scene is becoming more restless, as shown by the recently large push for both presidential candidates to agree to a debate.
For weeks, President Trump has been pushing President Biden to agree to open debates. The former president has voiced his eagerness, using his now-popular slogan, “Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace.” to challenge the sitting 81-year-old president to multiple presidential discourses.
In response, President Biden has not stated whether or not he will agree to the debates. Some are attributing his hesitancy to the desire to not fling his already low poll numbers into irreversible danger zones.
“While Trump, who did not participate in debates for the Republican nomination, has indicated a willingness to take on his 2020 rival, the Democratic president has not committed to debating him again,” according to the Associated Press.
Due to the lack of motivation from President Biden and the general interest of the American public, multiple news organizations have come together to issue a joint statement to both candidates, pushing them to schedule debates earlier in the year.
“A dozen news organizations, led by the networks, on Sunday issued a joint statement urging President Biden and former President Trump “to publicly commit to participating in general election debates.
“Why it matters: The networks want both presumptive nominees to commit early in a year when they may have different reasons to duck or play coy,” according to Axios.
In what seems to be a spring Christmas miracle, the usually-polarized news organizations came together for the interest of the people so they may be informed on where each candidate stands in the tight, tension-plagued 2020 rematch this November.
“In the letter, the news organizations said it was too early for invitations to go out to candidates for debates, but that it wasn’t too early for presidential candidates who expect to meet eligibility criteria to publicly state their commitment to debates in the fall.
“‘If there is one thing Americans can agree on during this polarized time, it is that the stakes of this election are exceptionally high,” the organizations said in the joint statement. ‘Amidst that backdrop, there is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of our nation,’” according to CBS News.
Similar to what the joint statement expressed, to uphold a tradition which allows for greater transparency, the country deserves nothing less than to hear from the candidates that represent two extremes this presidential election cycle.
Presently, only President Trump has answered the push, contacting the Commission on Presidential Debates despite the RNC voting to withdraw from interacting with the Commission, citing transparency concerns.
“The Republican National Committee voted unanimously in 2022 to ban future GOP presidential nominees from participating in debates put on by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, the body that has sponsored general election debates since 1988.
“Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita addressed the Commission on Presidential Debates in a letter on Thursday, saying that Trump was willing to debate. They did not address the 2022 GOP vote, but they did call on the commission to be fair and impartial,” according to CBS News.
Both presidents have already started firing shots at each other, with Biden playing the blame game and Trump appealing to the need for debates based on the current state of the nation.
“President Biden, when asked on March 8 if he would commit to a debate with Trump, said that ‘it depends on his behavior.’ The president previously addressed a potential debate in early February while visiting Las Vegas. After being told that Trump wanted to debate him as soon as possible, Mr. Biden said, ‘If I were him, I’d want to debate me too. He’s got nothing else to do,’” according to CBS News.
The push from the press was a much needed political play. It highlights which candidates are ready to defend their records over the past years and make clear any plans of action they might have for the ensuing years should they be elected.
The people deserve the debates. Especially for one of the most pivotal elections in U.S. history.
“But on Saturday, Trump held a rally in northeast Pennsylvania with two lecterns set up on the stage: one for him to give a speech, the other to symbolize what he said was Biden’s refusal to debate him. The second lectern had a placard that read, ‘Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace,’” according to the Associated Press.
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