Staff Reports
The Harris-Walz campaign has decided to play a game of political hopscotch regarding the upcoming debates with former President Trump. Allowing only two of the three presidential debates proposed by Trump and settling for a single vice presidential debate proposed by JD Vance, this move raises eyebrows about their readiness to face serious competition. Instead of embracing the challenge, Kamala Harris turned down the chance to spar with Trump on Fox News, which is puzzling for a campaign claiming to be keen on transparency and discussion.
The Harris-Walz camp declared the “debate about debates” as finished and has confirmed that they will indeed show up for a debate on September 10. However, the question remains whether Trump will actually attend. If he does, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is set to debate JD Vance on October 1. The Harris camp issued a statement, almost too proud for their limited engagement, implying it’s high time for these “games” to end. Yet, a trend emerges where it seems Harris and her crew prefer sidestepping more contentious debates—definitely not the mark of a confident candidate.
BREAKING: The Harris campaign just released a statement agreeing to participate just two of the three presidential debates President Trump challenged Kamala to and one of the two VP debates JD Vance challenged Walz to. pic.twitter.com/SRdA7hVjve
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 15, 2024
Moreover, trying to control the narrative, the Harris campaign explained that while they won’t participate in the Fox or NBC debates, they are keeping an October debate on the table, contingent upon Trump’s attendance in September. In true Democratic fashion, they are crafting a setup that allows them to play it safe while claiming they are fostering “open dialogue.” Meanwhile, Trump has been game to debate the issues multiple times, a clear contrast to Harris’s strategy of limiting her exposure.
Switching gears to Vance, he is eager for a more robust debate schedule, advocating for frequent discussions that allow candidates to engage directly with voters. While he faces off with Walz in the single scheduled vice-presidential debate, he has been thwarted in his attempts for a September additional clash. The Harris camp seems content to stick to a single debate in this arena as well, perhaps fearful of Vance’s articulate arguments about the pressing issues facing Americans today.
BREAKING: The Harris campaign just released a statement agreeing to participate just two of the three presidential debates President Trump challenged Kamala to and one of the two VP debates JD Vance challenged Walz to. pic.twitter.com/SRdA7hVjve
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 15, 2024
In an ironic twist, this debate avoidance is not new for Walz. His previous reluctance to debate during his 2022 re-election effort is now resurfacing, spotlighting a time when his opponent’s podium stood vacant, a cringeworthy moment that inevitably made its rounds on social media. This latest refusal to engage now paints a clear picture of a campaign unwilling to put its candidates on the line. In a bid to unify behind Harris following Biden’s exit, the Democrats appear to be taking a less-than-robust approach to public dialogue.
It seems like if Harris and Walz want to inspire confidence in their campaign, they might want to reconsider their debating game plan. If voters perceive their strategy as dodging serious dialogue, they may not find their candidacies as appealing as they hope.
