A media coalition issued a statement Sunday urging President Biden and former President Trump to publicly commit to a debate ahead of the November election.
“General election debates have a rich tradition in American democracy and have played a key role in every presidential election over the past 50 years, up to 1976,” the news outlet wrote. “In each election, tens of millions of people tuned in to watch side-by-side debates between candidates competing for ideas for the American people’s vote.”
The group points out that the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which has sponsored debates since 1988, has already announced the dates, times and eligibility criteria for the 2024 debate, urging candidates to He urged them to decide whether or not to participate right away.
“While it is too early to extend invitations to any candidates, candidates who are expected to meet the eligibility criteria have publicly expressed their support and intent to participate in the committee’s debates scheduled for this fall. It is not too early to do so,” the media outlets wrote.
“If there’s one thing Americans can agree on in this era of polarization, it’s that the stakes in this election are very high,” they added. “Against that backdrop, there is no substitute for candidates discussing their vision for our country’s future before each other and before the American people.”
Both Biden and Trump won enough delegates to win their respective primaries earlier this year, paving the way for a rematch in the 2020 election.
The former president also pressed Biden to agree to a debate, saying he would meet with him “anytime, anywhere.” His campaign sent a letter to the committee earlier this week requesting that the scheduled debate be moved up.
President Trump, who was absent from this year’s Republican debates, insisted that the two candidates had a “duty” to face off before the election, adding that it was “in the interest of our country.”
The incumbent hasn’t ruled out a discussion, but said last month that his decision would depend on President Trump’s actions.
In their request, the media group hopes both candidates will make a decision sooner rather than later.
News outlets include ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, C-Span, NPR, PBS NewsHour, and more. NewsNation, part of The Hill’s parent company Nexstar Media Group, also signed the statement.
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