PHOENIX (AP) — The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which has planned presidential faceoffs in every election since 1988, has an uncertain future after President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump struck an agreement to meet on their own.
The Biden and Trump campaigns announced a deal Wednesday to meet for debates in June on CNN and September on ABC. Just a day earlier, Frank Fahrenkopf, chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, had sounded optimistic that the candidates would eventually come around to accepting the commission’s debates.
“There’s no way you can force anyone to debate,” Fahrenkopf said in a virtual meeting of supporters of No Labels, which has continued as an advocacy group after it abandoned plans for a third-party presidential ticket. But he noted candidates have repeatedly toyed with skipping debates or finding alternatives before eventually showing up, though one was canceled in 2020 when Trump refused to appear virtually after he contracted COVID-19.
Mohammad Mokhber: Who is Iran’s acting president?
Federation Helps Women Understand Law
ACWF Improves Cadres' Ability to Protect Women, Children's Rights
Hebei Improves Cadres' Ability to Protect Women, Children's Rights
Investigators return to Long Island home of Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect
'Family Affairs Investigators' Help Residents Resolve Marital, Family Disputes
Federation Helps Gansu Women Study, Use Laws
Mechanism Protects Domestic Violence Victims
Georgia Republicans choose Amy Kremer, organizer of pro
2022 'She Can' Public Welfare Project Kicks off in Chengdu