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Harris accepts invitation to second possible debate in October


Harris accepts invitation to second possible debate in October

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign team announced on Saturday that it would accept an invitation to participate in a second debate with former President Donald Trump.

The possible debate would take place on October 23 and would be moderated by CNN, Harris campaign manager Jennifer O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.

“The American people deserve another opportunity to see the debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump before they cast their votes,” O’Malley Dillon said, adding, “Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate. It has the same format and structure as the CNN debate he attended in June and said he won by praising CNN’s moderators, rules and ratings.”

Trump Harris Presidential Debate
Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice President Kamala Harris during a presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on September 10. Saul Loeb/AFP-Getty Images

The statement came a day after Harris told supporters at an event in Georgia: “I’m trying to arrange another debate. We’ll see.”

A CNN spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

When asked for comment on the Harris campaign’s statement on Saturday, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung referred to a Truth Social post in which the former president wrote, “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”

“We just don’t think it’s necessary,” Trump said earlier this month in an interview with Telemundo Arizona, which is also owned by NBC Universal.

On Saturday, Trump repeated those comments at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, telling attendees, “The problem with another debate is that it’s just too late. The voting has already started.”

O’Malley Dillon’s statement came after Trump and Harris met for their first debate on September 10, moderated by ABC.

Although it was the first debate between the two major party presidential candidates, Trump also debated President Joe Biden on CNN in June when Biden was still in the race.

A debate on October 23 would pit Trump and Harris against each other less than two weeks before Election Day, but in several states weeks after early voting begins.

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