Through a statement issued by John Podesta Monday night, Hillary Clinton agreed to the schedule of three debates with GOP opponent Donald Trump, expressing the campaign’s concern that Trump was “already engaged in shenanigans” around the debates.
Clinton says she will participate in the three presidential debates https://t.co/cK9sblRgw6
— Xsn1per (@Xsn1per) August 9, 2016
Clinton team twists knife on Trump over debates – says she's accepting all three, asks whether he'll do same
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) August 9, 2016
Clinton camp's @johnpodesta: Trump engaging in "shenanigans" in debate talks. Unclear if goal to avoid "or merely toying with the press"
— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) August 9, 2016
Clinton accepts invitations to all three debates, per @johnpodesta statement pic.twitter.com/NqJRSci86H
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) August 9, 2016
Hold on a second … now the Clinton campaign isn’t interested in bargaining around debates? Wasn’t it Hillary Clinton who was so outraged that her primary opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, had run a negative ad against her that she demanded he change his tone as a condition of any future debates? Let’s look back to this March:
JUST IN: Clinton camp warns: No more Dem debates unless Sanders changes "tone" https://t.co/QXzRZ8EPpJ pic.twitter.com/m8eCnnTm4P
— The Hill (@thehill) March 28, 2016
Then, in May, Sanders again challenged Clinton to honor her agreement to hold a debate before the California primary, which Fox News offered to host. The Clinton campaign responded with a statement saying Hillary Clinton’s time was better spent meeting with voters.
Hillary Clinton has DECLINED the Fox News invitation to a dem debate
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) May 23, 2016
Things certainly seem to have changed now that Clinton is enjoying a comfortable lead in the polls.
Interesting debate psychology here. Clinton, being well ahead in the polls, has more to lose. But she's confident, hence this statement. 1/2
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 9, 2016
Trump seems torn. If he hedges, Clinton mocks him as weak. That + trailing in polls + needing opportunities could push him to yes. 2/2
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 9, 2016
Yes, Trump skipped the Iowa debate. And he lost IA, somewhat unexpectedly. Still he was in the driver's seat overall in primary. Not so now.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/LornestoToledo/status/762829180589539328
#somepeoplearesaying Trump's so scared, he pees a little every time someone says "debate"
— Gordon Jones (@gordonsjones1) August 9, 2016
Things certainly have changed since May, haven’t they?
HRC isn’t doing debate bc there’s no reason for her to do it… Yet how many people will claim she's a) scared of Bernie b) scared of Fox?
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 23, 2016
Maybe Clinton could warm up for the debates by holding a press conference or two and taking questions?
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