Trump says he won't accept CNN invite to debate Harris

Summary

Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted CNN's invitation to debate former President Trump on October 23rd. This would be their second public debate, following Trump's initial rejection for a rematch after their September 10th encounter. The debate's format will be similar to previous ones, with 90 minutes of moderator questions without a live audience. Panelists discuss the potential impact, with some suggesting Trump's past debate performances indicate he might not benefit from another, while others see it as an opportunity for Harris to further contrast leadership styles.

Takeaways

• 📅 Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation to debate former President Trump on October 23rd.
• 🔄 This would be the second public debate between Harris and Trump, following their meeting in Philadelphia last week.
• 🎙️ The proposed CNN debate format would be similar to the June debate between Biden and Trump, with 90 minutes of moderator questions and no live audience.
• 🗳️ Some argue that another debate is unnecessary as voting has already begun, suggesting it's too late to sway voters significantly.
• 🤔 Scott Jennings, a former senior adviser to President George W. Bush, expresses skepticism about the value of another debate for Trump.
• 💡 Karen Finney, a former senior adviser for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, sees the debate as an opportunity for Harris to contrast her leadership with Trump's.
• 🗣️ A panelist suggests Trump is not a strong debater and could be easily triggered, which could lead to a poor performance.
• 📊 The debate could be an opportunity for Trump to grow his support base, but there are doubts about his ability to do so effectively.
• 📺 Brian Stelter points out the importance of television ratings for Trump and suggests he might agree to the debate to reach a large audience.
• 🏆 The Harris campaign has stated that it would be unprecedented for there to be only one general election debate between the two main candidates.

Q & A

Who has accepted an invitation from CNN to debate on October 23rd?

Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CNN to debate former President Trump on October 23rd.

What is the significance of the October 23rd debate between Kamala Harris and former President Trump?

The October 23rd debate would be their second meeting on a public debate stage and would take place in the final few weeks of the campaign season.

What was the initial reaction of former President Trump regarding a second debate with Kamala Harris?

Initially, former President Trump rejected a second debate with Harris, suggesting that it was too late since voting had already started.

How does the format of the proposed CNN debate between Kamala Harris and former President Trump compare to previous debates?

The CNN debate would mirror the June debate between Biden and Trump, with a similar format where the participants would field moderator questions for 90 minutes without a live studio audience.

What is Scott Jennings' opinion on whether former President Trump should reconsider the invitation to debate?

Scott Jennings is skeptical about whether Trump should do another debate, suggesting that it might not make a huge difference and questioning the value of participating at this late stage of the campaign.

What does Karen Finney believe about the potential benefits for Vice President Harris in debating again?

Karen Finney sees any opportunity for a direct contrast between the former president and Vice President Harris as a win for Harris, given her strong performance in previous debates.

What is the general consensus among the panelists about the effectiveness of debates for the former president's campaign?

The panelists generally agree that the former president is not a particularly good debater and that participating in another debate could potentially harm his campaign.

What is the significance of the statement made by Jen O'Malley Dillon, the Harris campaign chair, regarding the debate?

Jen O'Malley Dillon stated that it would be unprecedented in modern history for there to just be one general election debate between the two candidates, suggesting that Trump should have no problem participating.

What is Brian Stelter's perspective on the importance of additional debates for informing the American public?

Brian Stelter believes that additional debates, like the one proposed by CNN, are important for informing the American public, as previous debates have been successful in terms of providing insights into the candidates' positions.

How does the panel discuss the potential impact of the former president's decision to decline the debate invitation?

The panel discusses that declining the debate invitation might be spun by the former president as a strategic move, but it could also be perceived as a sign of weakness by some voters, especially considering his past focus on television ratings.