The 2024 U.S. presidential campaign takes further shape after the two main candidates have agree to a set of debates, with the first taking place as early as next month in June 2024.
On May 15 (Singapore time), President Joe Biden challenged former president Donald Trump to debates with a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, and since then he hasn't shown up for a debate. Now he's acting like he wants to debate me again. Well make my day, pal. I'll even do it twice. So pick the dates, Donald. I hear you're free on Wednesdays."
Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate.
Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again.
Well, make my day, pal. pic.twitter.com/AkPmvs2q4u
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 15, 2024
Biden may have been referring to Trump's ongoing court case in New York over alleged hush money payments and election fraud, as his trial in New York City does not sit on Wednesdays.
Trump responded on Truth Social, another social media platform, and said that he would accept the proposed debates in June and September.
"It is my great hono[u]r to accept the CNN Debate against Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST PRESIDENT in the History of the United States and a true Threat to Democracy, on June 27th. Likewise, I accept the ABC News Debate against Crooked Joe on September 10th. Thank you, DJT!"
It is my great honor to accept the CNN Debate against Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST PRESIDENT in the History of the United States and a true Threat to Democracy, on June 27th. Likewise, I accept the ABC News Debate against Crooked Joe on September 10th. Thank you, DJT! pic.twitter.com/hFQg5KcIJo
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 15, 2024
Bypassing the commission
The agreement by both candidates bypasses the tradition of having three debates in the U.S. fall season, organised by the Commission on Presidential Debates, a bipartisan body.
According to the Washington Post, both candidates had grown increasingly "frustrated" with the commission, and their camps negotiated directly on the timing and details of the debates.
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign manager, claimed that the commission's inability to ensure the candidates kept to the rules, including mask-wearing at a time when the U.S. was in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, prompted the decision to negotiate directly.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, the two debates that Trump and Biden engaged in were marred by interruptions and a failure of the moderators to enforce the rules.
In 2022, the Republican National Committee quit the commission, claiming that it was "biased".
Two debates
The first debate of the 2024 campaign will therefore be hosted by CNN on June 27 (June 28 Singapore time) in Georgia, a swing state that has traditionally voted for Republican presidential candidates, but went for Biden in 2020.
It will be moderated by anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, without a live studio audience.
The second debate will be hosted by ABC News on September 10 (September 11 Singapore time), with its location yet to be confirmed.
It is unclear if longshot independent candidate, Robert Kennedy Jr, will be able to qualify for the debates.
Top image from Joe Biden/X and Donald Trump/Facebook.