'The terms did not specify Biden': Pollster blows up key Trump talking point over debate
Donald Trump says he only agreed to debate President Joe Biden, and not Vice President Kamala Harris, on ABC, but the terms of the actual debate agreement didn't make that specification, according to one pollster.
Trump over the weekend declared his refusal to debate Harris, who has now clinched the Democratic nomination, on the network, saying he would instead insist on a Fox News debate with an audience. For her part, Harris has said she will show up at the previously agreed debate, whether the former president attends or not.
Trump claims Biden's decision to drop out warrants a new negotiation with Harris' team over the new terms of their debate, but that's not quite true, according to Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott Saturday.
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"Keep seeing a talking point from Trump supporters that Trump agreed to 'debate Biden' on ABC. That’s not accurate: Trump agreed to debate terms that invite any and all candidates who meet a polling and ballot access threshold. The terms did not specify Biden," he wrote on social media. "The terms of the ABC debate have remained the same. Absolutely nothing changed."
McDermott goes on to say, "The only thing that’s changed is the candidates who meet the terms."
"Trump backed out for one reason: he’s afraid to debate Kamala Harris," the pollster said. "There’s no other explanation."
He went on to link to ABC's site outlining the existing presidential debate terms.
"Here are the terms of the ABC News debate. You’ll find that, despite Trump supporter attempts to claim that Trump only agreed to 'debate Biden,' the name 'Joe Biden' is mentioned zero times in the debate terms," he added Saturday.