Even before former and potentially future President Donald Trump selected Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) as his running mate earlier this week at the RNC, there was chatter about a vice presidential debate between that pick and Vice President Kamala Harris. Back in May, Harris and CBS News threw out some ideas for such a debate to take place on July 23 or August 13. As the Trump campaign revealed on Wednesday night, though they're not going to commit to any such debates at this time.
"We don’t know who the Democrat nominee for Vice President is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention. To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala Harris picks as her running mate," a statement from Brian Hughes, the Trump Campaign Senior Advisor read.
The statement came out a few hours before Night 3 of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, during which Vance spoke. Chatter about how "uncertainty looms" after that statement from the campaign has been trending on X since.
NEW: Trump campaign responds re: Vice Presidential debates.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 17, 2024
“We don’t know who the Democrat nominee for Vice President is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention. To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala…
When Vance was named as the pick on Monday, the Biden-Harris campaign revealed that Harris had left him a message congratulating him and expressing hope they could meet for the debate.
The Trump campaign has a point. President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats are in complete disarray over whether or not he should stay in the race. Even Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is reportedly among those getting involved in having conversations with Biden, saying that it's time to go. The party has also delayed the plan to nominate Biden virtually.
Biden himself revealed in a recent interview with BET that he would consider exiting the race, "If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem." He also tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, though he still looks to be in the race, at least for now.
Harris has also been particularly nasty towards Vance, as has the Biden-Harris campaign and Democrats overall. On Wednesday, she released a video message claiming Vance, who is a veteran, "will be loyal only to Trump, not to our country."
Donald Trump has picked his new running mate: J.D. Vance.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 17, 2024
He will be loyal only to Trump, not to our country.
If elected, he will help implement the extreme Project 2025 plan for a second Trump term. We’re not going to let that happen. pic.twitter.com/z4UKczVdbv
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