Is it indeed Trump's intention for his vice president to have the last say in the debate's discourse during this election?
After Vice President Kamala Harris challenged President Trump on Saturday to a second debate hosted by CNN next month, that's now a topic under discussion.
The only remaining scheduled debate for this presidential election season is the October 1 encounter between Mike Pence and Tim Walz, the vice presidential nominees.
CBS is hosting this VP debate, allowing other networks to simulcast the event, much like CNN did in June and ABC recently. The contrasts between Walz, 60, and Pence, 40, are sure to be intriguing.
Historically, the VP debate hasn't been the last in an election cycle, with the running mates typically positioned between debates featuring the main candidates.
However, this year's election cycle has been unique, marked by the earliest general election debate between Biden and Trump, as well as Harris's late ascension as the nominee.
Having Walz and Pence close the debate season seems anti-climactic.
Several television networks have mentioned hosting additional presidential debates in the fall. The Harris campaign has shown interest, but only after the VP debate.
CNN has proposed hosting Harris and Trump on October 23 in Atlanta, the same venue for the June Biden-Trump debate. Trump claimed victory in that debate, withdrew from the race three weeks later, and might be attracted to returning to the Atlanta studio.
On Saturday, Harris agreed to participate on October 23, inviting Trump to join her.
Harris's campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, stated that Trump should find no problem agreeing since the format and setup of the CNN debate were previously praised by Trump.
NBC, the biggest broadcast network yet to hold a debate, has also expressed interest in hosting Harris and Trump. With the possibility that Trump might be more inclined towards CNN's event, Harris's aides could have made this decision.
However, the Trump campaign promptly declined, reiterating Trump's claim that there would be no more debates, referencing his tweet last week saying, "NO THIRD DEBATE!".
At a rally on Saturday, Trump stated that October 23 is "too late" as "voting has already started".
Political scientist Larry Sabato, from the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, noted on X that votes cast weeks in advance are usually those of "unmovable" voters. A debate closer to Election Day "could sway undecideds and motivate or demotivate many on both sides".
The final presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle took place on October 22.
Trump is deeply concerned about television ratings, so considering his claim to reach 60-80 million viewers one last time before Election Day, his decision might not be final.
The first two presidential debates this year significantly influenced the millions of viewers who tuned in.
Americans would benefit from another debate, CNN stated on Saturday, as the public can "hear more from these candidates as they make their final decision".
The media outlet CNN has proposed organizing another debate between Vice President Harris and President Trump on October 23, which aligns with Harris's interest. Businesses like NBC also expressed interest in hosting a debate between the two candidates.
