If Donald Trump skips the debate, Vice President Kamala Harris will get a free primetime special on ABC.
CNN reported:
Vice President Kamala Harris plans to attend the previously agreed-upon debate on ABC on September 10 even though Donald Trump will not be in attendance, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
ABC News plans to provide airtime to any candidate who appears, even if it’s just Harris, according to a source. ABC News did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
The debate doesn’t explicitly state that both candidates must attend in order for airtime to be forfeited, and networks will likely turn the debate into a primetime interview or town hall format if one candidate attends and the other doesn’t.
If the Harris campaign’s prediction is correct, Donald Trump’s absence from the campaign trail will give Kamala Harris a network television special that will be broadcast free to the nation.
Trump’s lead has evaporated in the polls, and he can’t afford to play this kind of game or pretend he’s ahead or winning.
Donald Trump has made some strategic mistakes throughout the 2024 campaign, but ceding a prime-time special to his opponent out of fear of a debate may be one of his worst.
Trump has no leverage. He’s not going to completely change the rules of the debate so he can hold a debate in front of an audience on Fox News.
With the former presidential debate scam failing, Vice President Harris may be given a solo national platform to address voters.
