He doesn’t have enough endurance.
President Joe Biden’s campaign has declined two additional debates proposed by former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Trump announced his acceptance of a fourth presidential debate against Biden, to be hosted by NBC and Telemundo, emphasizing the importance of reaching Hispanic voters. Additionally, Trump accepted an invitation for a vice presidential debate at Virginia State University, a historically Black college. NBC News confirmed offering debates to both campaigns.
Trump’s acceptance of debates targeting larger Latino and Black audiences appeared intended to provoke Biden’s campaign, which has faced challenges in connecting with these crucial voter demographics. A Biden campaign official dismissed further debate negotiations, asserting, “No more games.”
In response, the Trump campaign criticized Biden’s decision, accusing him of avoiding engagement with the Hispanic community and evading accountability for his record. The campaign labeled Biden as “too ‘cobarde'” (cowardly) to address Hispanic voters on the debate stage.
This week, both campaigns bypassed the Commission on Presidential Debates and agreed to two presidential debates hosted by CNN and ABC News. The Biden campaign also accepted a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News, while the Trump campaign opted for a separate proposal from Fox News. Details on the CBS debate status remain unclear.
For the presidential debates, candidates must meet specific requirements, including ballot access in enough states to potentially win 270 electoral votes, adherence to debate rules and format, and reaching at least 15% in four national polls of registered or likely voters.
The debate arrangements were swiftly finalized after private discussions between the candidates, initiated following Biden’s statement expressing willingness to debate Trump. Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon emphasized that Biden had set clear terms for two one-on-one debates, signaling an end to further debate negotiations.
