Originally, the plan was to have three presidential debates — between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The Biden camp insisted that any debates be held on a network friendly to him, such as CNN and ABC (we saw how that worked out), that there be no audience, and that the opponent's microphone be turned off while the candidate was speaking (a rule the Harris campaign desperately tried to get ABC News to change, depriving her of her "I'm speaking" moment). Fox News offered to host a debate with moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, but Kamala Harris wouldn't agree to it, so it ended up being a Trump town hall hosted by Sean Hannity.
Trump has said on Truth Social that there will be no third debate. What do you think?
THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE! pic.twitter.com/7GqSZT4bub
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) September 12, 2024
We're not sure what to think. It probably would have been best for Trump to say nothing — now the Harris campaign will call him chicken after "losing" that three-on-one ABC News debate. Ken Gardner's no Trump fan, but we like his thinking:
If I were Trump, I would let Harris pick the moderators and the network and show up for a second debate anyway, and then I would clean all of their collective clocks. Most normal people think that fringe progressive left wing policies are crazy and destructive. It isn’t hard.
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) September 12, 2024
Although ABC's moderators fact-checked only Donald Trump during the debate, some things the media flagged as false (such as taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for incarcerated illegals) are now being reported as true, or as the New York Times has reported, needing context.
No third debate, per Trump.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) September 12, 2024
Unless it was on Fox, which Harris has already refused, you can see why this decision was made after what ABC "News" did on Tuesday night.
If this third debate was on any other major network, it would be a repeat of the disgrace we witnessed. https://t.co/h9DAWf2OaB
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We'd guess that's the prevailing feeling among Trump supporters. Again, people were talking more about the moderators and less about the issues after the debate, and that's not a good sign.
If Trump could think in terms of bullet points he would have destroyed them all on the merits. A lighter demeanor would help, too.
— Sheriff Roy Coffee (@SheriffCoffee) September 12, 2024
But I think he needs to debate again and Bret and Martha need to be the moderators.
No more fake debates
— Jack Robinson (@Rob73287304Jack) September 12, 2024
Poor messaging. He should have said 'I will debate but only on Fox. I already did 2 debates in hostile territory'.
— Little Help Here? (@legler_aaron) September 12, 2024
Make her refuse.
She's refused once. Make her refuse again.
@realDonaldTrump should challenge her to a @joerogan moderated debate on @X
— Dessie Juke (@Shawn595896014) September 12, 2024
That we'd love to see.
No need to. Hugh Hewitt said it yesterday. As the debate is analyzed & laid out everyone will see Trump won on substance. We learned nothing new about her except she will lie to get elected.
— Elizabeth Terrio (@eterrio) September 12, 2024
Polls seem to show that independents trended with Republicans during the debate itself. It wasn't the disaster that the mainstream media is making it out to be.
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