Former and potentially future President Donald Trump has been frequently insisting that President Joe Biden debate him ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Given what response we've sort of had so far from the Biden folks, that may not be too likely.
During Monday's White House briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the matter, and while she couldn't speak much about it given it has to do with the election, what she did say was rather telling.
A reporter asked Jean-Pierre: "In 2020, do you think that the American electorate was helped by seeing Donald Trump and Joe Biden on the same stage...at the same time...at a presidential debate? Was that helpful, do you think, in terms of people making that decision?"
In addition to offering "I can’t speak to that from here," emphasizing "I can’t," no matter how many times the reporter tried to ask the question, Jean-Pierre also emphasized how "2020 was a different time," adding "it was a different time."
Karine Jean-Pierre declines to say if Biden will debate President Trump (who has said he will debate "ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, ANY PLACE").
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 15, 2024
She says Biden debated in 2020 because "it was a different time." pic.twitter.com/1jChcFVdiK
It was indeed a different time in 2020, as Biden was younger and his age not so advanced in such a way that the American people worried about his age, mental fitness, and ability to serve out a second term, as they do now. Voters were also duped into believing that Biden could perhaps be the unifying force that he claimed, and somehow still claims, he can be.
What isn't different is that Biden relied on false narratives, such as the "fine people" hoax during the 2020 debates, which he's also brought back for the 2024 campaign. Townhall has repeatedly fact-checked claims about Trump's remarks regarding the "Unite the Right Rally" in Charlottesville 2017, including during the 2020 campaign, before he was even the nominee.
Because it can't be repeated enough, the full context of his remarks shows Trump was very clearly not referring to neo-Nazis in such a way. He was also talking about people concerned with the removal of statutes. Even more damning to such a false narrative is that Trump made clear "I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally--but you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists, okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly."
Considering all the times that Biden manages to stumble verbally and physically during his public appearances, needs a cheat sheet for even just basic motions, such as a "pause," and mixes up foreign leaders--even and including dead ones--it would come as no shock if his supporters don't want him debating.
While Jean-Pierre might not have been able to provide much information, as Sam J. at our sister site of Twitchy highlighted, The Atlantic's David Frum had plenty to say. Frum mentioned how "a consortium of networks published a statement urging Biden to debate Trump on their platforms."
He's against Biden debating Trump, but not because of how it might make Biden look bad. Rather, he makes a considerably big deal about the various indictments against the former president, not because of their unprecedented nature or how Biden's Department of Justice (DOJ) has been politicized and weaponized against his political opponent and other conservatives, but because Biden shouldn't dare appear with Trump for the crimes he's been accused of but not even found guilty of yet.
In his thread, Frum even likens Biden to President Abraham Lincoln and Trump to Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, putting his disdain for Trump, his supporters, and the idea of holding a debate fully on display.
Yesterday, a consortium of networks published a statement urging Biden to debate Trump on their platforms. In @TheAtlantic I argue that a president should not do joint appearances with people indicted for violent crimes against the US Constitution. https://t.co/8yS3ZY7TBS
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 16, 2024
A major-party presidential candidate is under criminal indictment for trying to overthrow the Constitution. President Biden should respond to an invitation to debate Trump as President Lincoln would have responded to an invitation to debate Jefferson Davis.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 16, 2024
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