CNN set Thursday deadline, seeking a formal response from both campaigns – that of former US President Donald Trump and US Vice President Kamala Harris – on the final 2024 presidential debate. CNN had publicly offered to host a debate in Atlanta on October 23. While Harris accepted the invitation, Trump has rejected her calls, the report said.
The network stepped up the pressure by writing to both campaigns, setting a Thursday deadline.
In a statement, CNN said it sent invitations on September 21 to both Harris and Trump’s campaigns to participate in a CNN debate this fall "as we believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States."
“With less than 30 days to Election Day, we are placing a deadline for a formal response from both campaigns for this Thursday, October 10 at 12 pm ET to participate,” the network was quoted as saying in the statement.
The first CNN-sponsored debate took place in June, between Trump and US President Joe Biden. After Biden withdrew from the presidential race, ABC news hosted the first debate between Trump and Democrat's new candidate Harris in September.
Soon after the debate, Harris immediately challenged Trump to debate again. CNN subsequently proposed an October 23 face-off in prime time at the network’s headquarters in Atlanta, the same place where Trump and Biden previously met.
According to the CNN report, the Harris' campaign quickly accepted the second debate invitation, adding that “Trump should have no problem agreeing” since “it is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN’s moderators, rules, and ratings.”
But Trump shunned the offer, claiming it was “too late” for a second debate. The report added that the CNN date is in line with final debates of other recent election cycles.
The US presidential elections will be held on November 5, 2024.
