'Factually untrue': Strategist dispels GOP talking point on Trump’s debate agreement

Democratic strategist Matt McDermott on Saturday fact-checked an effort by Republican operatives to claim Donald Trump did not walk back a specific agreement to debate Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 10 on ABC News.

Donald Trump on Friday challenged Harris to a Fox News-hosted debate on Sept. 4 and claimed the Sept. 10 ABC News debate “has been terminated in that [President Joe] Biden will no longer be a participant.”

McDermott pointed out " the ABC News debate is not ‘terminated,’” and argued Trump “is actually afraid of debating” Harris.

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The Harris campaign on Saturday likewise claimed Trump is “running scared” by avoiding the ABC News debate.

Replying to a tweet purportedly posted by a “Forensic Video Analyst for USMS/DHS/CBP,” which argued there was no “specific messaging from the Trump campaign to this exact debate date and network against” Harris, McDermott argued “the debate agreement outlined terms of the debate, which are about viability, not specific candidates.”

“ Trump agreed to the terms of the ABC [News] debate,” McDermott wrote. “They make zero reference to Biden or any other candidate.”

A July 26 ABC News memo outlined the debate qualifications, which “ include the following”:

All participants must meet the requirements outlined in Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution to serve as president and must have filed a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. All participants must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots, as certified by the Secretary of State or the relevant election authority in each state, to attain a majority (270) of electoral votes in the presidential election by Sept. 3, 2024. All participants must agree to accept the rules and format of the debate, as formulated by ABC News.

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Candidates must also “reach at least 15 percent support in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters,” with the final determination on eligibility to be made “after Sept. 3.”

“This GOP talking point is factually untrue,” McDermott said.

Read the full exchange below or at this link.

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