They fear the debate will reveal Biden’s incompetence.
Jonathan Martin, the politics bureau chief at Politico, shared concerns from President Biden’s team regarding the potential risks of a debate with former President Trump, as discussed on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with host Kristen Welker. During a recent interview with Howard Stern, Biden expressed his willingness to engage in a debate with Trump. However, Martin noted that Biden’s team is wary of giving Trump a platform that could potentially expose the president on national television.
Reflecting on Biden’s spontaneous announcement during the interview, Martin speculated on how Jen Psaki, Biden’s former press secretary, might have reacted to the president’s declaration. He suggested that Biden’s team is hesitant about the idea of a debate, fearing the repercussions of such a high-profile event. Psaki, while not contradicting Martin, emphasized the importance of not outright rejecting the offer to debate, as doing so could be perceived as a sign of weakness.
Martin expressed his belief that if a debate between Biden and Trump does occur, it could indicate that Biden still has ground to cover in terms of public perception. Host Kristen Welker highlighted the potential inclusion of issues like the conflict in Gaza as key discussion points in such a debate.
Geoff Bennett, co-host of PBS News Hour, added perspective on the significance of economic issues over the Gaza conflict, particularly concerning the youth vote. He emphasized that while the Gaza conflict is a concern for many young people, economic issues, such as the high cost of living, are likely to have a greater impact on their voting decisions. Bennett underscored the challenge President Biden faces in maintaining support from a diverse coalition of voters amidst these complex issues.
