Harris accepts CNN invitation to debate Trump on Oct. 23 — despite ex-prez insisting they won’t face off again
Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted CNN’s invitation to debate Donald Trump for a second time ahead of the November election — despite the latter’s insistence that he doesn’t see a “need” to face-off again.
“The American people deserve another opportunity to see Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate before they cast their ballots,” Harris-Walz campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said Saturday.
“It would be unprecedented in modern history for there to just be one general election debate. Debates offer a unique chance for voters to see the candidates side by side and take stock of their competing visions for America.
“Vice President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump, and she has accepted CNN’s invitation to a debate on October 23.”
Trump has repeatedly accused the moderators of the Sept. 10 ABC News debate of sabotaging his attempts to refute Harris — and even said he would refuse to debate Harris a second time under the same circumstances.
“We just don’t think that there’s any need for it,” he told The Post.
“We’ve done two. You know, one against Biden [on June 27], one against Comrade Kamala. I did well. I did really well.”
“I think she had the questions. And I think that the anchors … were a disgrace to American journalism,” Trump added, referring to ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis.
In a conversation with Fox News shortly after the debate, he complained that it was a “three-on-one” setup, with the moderators consistently taking Harris’ side.
On Saturday, the Harris camp argued that the CNN format should appease the Republican candidate.
“Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate. It is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN’s moderators, rules, and ratings,” Dillon said, referring to the June debate in which Trump squared off against incumbent Joe Biden — which led to the 81-year-old’s eventual withdrawal from the 2024 race.
“We look forward to Vice President Harris again having the opportunity in the CNN debate to show her command of the issues and why it’s time to turn the page on Donald Trump and chart a new way forward for America.”
When reached by The Post, Team Trump referred to a Sept. 12 post on Truth Social in which he insisted “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
“When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH,’” Trump wrote.
“Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ Radical Left Candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately called for a Second Debate,” he continued.
“She and Crooked Joe have destroyed our Country, with millions of criminals and mentally deranged people pouring into the USA, totally unchecked and unvetted, and with Inflation bankrupting our Middle Class.
“Everyone knows this, and all of the other problems caused by Kamala and Joe – It was discussed in great detail during the First Debate with Joe, and the Second Debate with Comrade Harris. She was a no-show at the Fox Debate, and refused to do NBC & CBS.
“KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD.”
Just one day before making the post, Trump boasted that he did so well against Harris that he would not need to go back for a second round.
“When you win, you don’t really necessarily have to do it a second time, so we’ll see,” said the Republican nominee, 78, during a visit to Shanksville, Pa., on the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Trump’s reaction came despite him repeatedly finding himself on the back foot as Harris baited him with cuts at his economic policy, his refusal to concede his 2020 election loss and even the turnout at his much-hyped rallies.
Even Republicans mostly conceded that Harris had a far stronger outing — particularly when compared to Biden’s two months earlier.
