Harris states readiness for debates with Trump
US Vice President and likely Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (photo: Getty Images)
US Vice President Kamala Harris has told reporters she is prepared for debates with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, reports the Associated Press.
Harris accused Trump of backtracking on a previous agreement to hold debates on ABC News, scheduled for September 10.
"I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage," she said after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base following trips to Indiana and Texas.
The September 10 debates are among two agreed upon by incumbent President Joe Biden and Trump. The first was organized by CNN on June 27, but Biden has since dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris as his successor.
Trump, in turn, has expressed a preference for moving the debates to Fox News rather than holding them on ABC News. He also stated his willingness to meet Harris multiple times. Western media reports that Fox News is closely aligned with the Republican Party. Meanwhile, Harris has yet to respond to questions about holding debates on that channel.
Republican consultant Alex Conant noted that these debates could be pivotal.
Associated Press added that this year's campaign has already highlighted the potential impact of debates. Biden's disastrous performance on June 27 reignited concerns about his age for a second term. His support within the Democratic Party fell sharply, and he ended his reelection bid on Sunday.
Fox News has proposed to moderate the upcoming debates between Trump and Harris. Network representatives have also indicated their readiness to discuss specific dates, formats, and whether the debates will be held with or without an audience.
Earlier, it was reported that the US Democratic Party plans to finalize its presidential candidate before the party convention. This will be done through an online voting process.
