A potential new presidential debate between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump has been proposed, with the current vice president agreeing to a meeting arranged by CNN on October 23. However, the former president has dismissed the idea, claiming the date is "too late."
The Harris campaign swiftly responded with a positive answer, challenging Trump to take part. "Vice President Harris is ready to share the stage with Donald Trump once again," campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said in a statement, adding, "Donald Trump should have no problem accepting this debate."
CNN has suggested a format similar to the debate between Trump and President Joe Biden held at their Atlanta studios, which significantly influenced the reelection campaign of the current president.
Trump's Stance on Debates
Despite the invitation, the Trump campaign has firmly stated that the former president will not participate. "Another debate at this point is too late, voting has already started," Trump said during a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Saturday.
"Now she wants a debate right before the election because she’s losing badly," Trump added, further elaborating that, "Kamala already did one debate, and I've done two. It's too late for another. I'd love to do it in many ways, but it's too late. Voters have already made their decisions."
Trump's position aligns with his previous comments after their initial debate earlier this month. "There will be no third debate!" he posted on Truth Social.
Harris's Perspective
Harris, speaking at a rally shortly after Trump's announcement, expressed a different view: "I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate."
A CNN poll conducted after the September 10 debate between Harris and Trump showed strong support for Harris, with 63% of registered voters who watched the debate viewing her as the winner, compared to 37% for Trump. The poll, which surveyed 605 people nationally, indicated a significant shift from pre-debate expectations when voters were evenly split on who would perform better.
Poll Results and Voter Perceptions
The survey results also revealed that 96% of Harris supporters felt she outperformed Trump, while 69% of Trump's followers believed he won. Key issues discussed during the debate included immigration, abortion, the U.S. economy, and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.