The possibility of a final 2024 presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is slowly diminishing. CNN offered to host a debate in Atlanta on October 23, with Harris accepting the invitation eagerly. However, Trump has rejected her calls and has not agreed to participate in the debate. CNN has set a deadline for a formal response from both campaigns by Thursday, emphasizing that debates require time to organize.
The network sent invitations to both Vice President Harris and former President Trump on September 21, believing that the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates. With less than 30 days to Election Day, CNN set a deadline for a response by Thursday, October 10. This election year has been atypical, as President Joe Biden dropped out of the race after the first CNN-sponsored debate in June, leaving Harris and Trump as the main contenders.
Harris attempted to leverage her performance at the ABC-sponsored debate in September by challenging Trump to debate again. CNN proposed an October 23 debate in prime time at their headquarters in Atlanta, where Trump and Biden previously met. While the Harris campaign quickly accepted the second debate invitation, Trump rejected it, claiming it was too late for a second debate, although the timing was consistent with final debates from recent election cycles.
Despite Trump’s refusal, the Harris campaign remained determined and stated that Harris would be in Atlanta on October 23, challenging Trump to face the voters. Trump responded by saying he had already beaten Biden and Harris and did not want to repeat the process again. Harris’ spokesman reiterated her willingness to appear at the CNN debate on October 23 if Trump agrees, criticizing Trump for avoiding debates and refusing to release medical records.
CNN’s deadline prompted a response from Harris’ campaign, indicating that she still remained ready to participate in the debate if Trump decided to agree. The campaign also criticized Trump for avoiding debates and other events, calling his stability into question based on his recent speeches. The ongoing saga surrounding the potential final debate between Trump and Harris highlights the complexities of organizing such events and the challenges of getting both parties to agree on terms and conditions.
