Daily US Times: President Trump said on Monday he would love to debate with the democratic presidential candidates in his 2020 reelection campaign but suggests that the format and venue are ‘up to him’.
Trump tweeted ‘I look very much forward to debating whoever the lucky person is who stumbles across the finish line in the little watched Do Nothing Democrat Debates. My record is so good on the Economy and all else, including debating, that perhaps I would consider more than three debates.’
Trump continued ‘The problem is that the so-called Commission on Presidential Debates is stacked with Trump Haters & Never Trumpers. Three years ago they were forced to publicly apologize for modulating my microphone in the first debate against Crooked Hillary. As President, the debates are up to me, and there are many options, including doing them directly & avoiding the nasty politics of this very biased Commission.’
Trump claims he would ‘make a decision at an appropriate time, but in the meantime, the Commission on Presidential Debates is NOT authorized to speak for me (or R’s)!’
Trump blamed a ‘defective mic’ in one of his underwhelming debate performances in 2016. The authority later acknowledging that “there were issues regarding Donald Trump’s audio that affected the sound level in the debate hall,” but did not apologize.
He also clashed with the Commission over his scheme to seat in his VIP box a group of women who had accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct — an unprecedented manoeuvre intended to intimidate Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.
The Commission already declared three presidential debate sites and dates. The first one will be held on 29 September next year at the University of Notre Dame. The moderators are not named yet.
If Trump missed the presidential debates, that would be the first time. President Lyndon B. Johnson did not debate Barry Goldwater in 1964, and eight years later, President Richard Nixon declined to debate George McGovern. Both presidents won reelection.
