Political analysts say Joe Biden’s handlers will panic after the 81-year-old president agreed to debate Donald Trump in the run-up to November’s presidential election in what appeared to be an unplanned comment.
During a softball interview with Howard Stern on Friday morning, Biden said he’s “happy” to take the stage to debate his 77-year-old rival.
It quickly led to several Republicans mocking Biden’s decision, saying it was beyond “his handler’s control.”
“Corrupt Joe Biden says he’s ‘happy to debate’ President Trump”. His handlers must be furious,” tweeted RNC Research, an account run by the Republican National Committee.
During a softball interview with Howard Stern on Friday morning, Biden said he’s “happy” to take the stage to debate his 77-year-old rival.
‘Biden weakly responds to Howard Stern that he will debate Trump, HA!’ Fox News host Jeanine Pirro wrote. “I guess his aides couldn’t stop Biden before he responded.”
The White House and the Biden-Harris campaign had circled around questions about the debate for months, never giving a direct answer.
But when asked by Stern, Biden seemed to confirm that he would indeed take on Trump.
“I don’t know if you’re going to debate your opponent,” Stern asked.
“I’m somewhere,” Biden said. ‘I do not know when. “I’m happy to debate him,” she replied.
Trump quickly responded, saying he was willing to debate “corrupt Joe Biden… ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.”
Debates have been a hallmark of every presidential general election campaign since 1976.
Trump published a lengthy message on Truth Social agreeing to debate Biden whenever he wants
Trump also agreed to debate Biden when he left court on Friday.
A verbal argument could be a useful opportunity for both Trump and Biden to demonstrate resistance. The couple last met in October 2020.
Other political commentators enjoyed the idea of Biden’s staff squirming at the thought of any kind of confrontation that might expose a Biden weakness.
‘”NOOOOO” – Joe Biden’s staff, after hearing Biden tell Howard Stern that he will debate Trump,’ joked conservative Kevin Dalton.
‘Idiot Joe Biden announced on Howard Stern’s radio show his willingness to debate Trump! Go ahead!,’ wrote civil rights attorney Leo Terrell.
Trump responded in a lengthy post on his Truth Social account.
‘LETTER TO JOE: Dear Joe, now that you’ve committed to the debate on the now-moribund Howard Stern Show, no less, let’s set it up right now. I’m ready to go anywhere you are. We could do it in DC, even point to the White House, or in New York, when your radical left fascists have ended ELECTION INTERFERENCE against your political opponent, I… let’s start the debate, the American people have a right to know. !’
Trump also made a statement after leaving the courthouse in New York City on Friday afternoon.
Several political commentators surmised that the Biden campaign must be feeling anxious after the president agreed to debate Trump in what appears to be an unplanned comment.
A podium meant to symbolize former President Donald Trump’s desire to debate Biden sits on stage during a rally earlier this month in Pennsylvania.
Supporters hold signs as a message is displayed on a large video screen saying that former President Donald Trump will debate President Joe Biden anytime, anywhere, anywhere.
“You can do it whenever you want, including tonight.” I’m ready. Here we are. “I invited him to court,” Trump said.
“I just want to say that I have invited Biden to debate,” he said outside Manhattan criminal court.
‘You can do it any time you want, including tonight. Ready, where we are. I invited him to the courthouse,” Trump said, touting a place he had previously criticized for its “freezing” temperatures.
‘But we’re willing to do it on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night or Friday night on national television. We are ready. Just tell me where,’ he said.
“We’ll do it in the White House; it would actually be very comfortable!” he teased her.
A verbal argument could be a useful opportunity for both Trump and Biden to demonstrate resistance.
Biden, in particular, is still plagued by Trump’s old nickname, ‘Sleepy Joe,’ and Trump faced ridicule online when he appeared to fall asleep during his criminal trial in New York last week.
Trump has promised for weeks to confront his Democratic opponent “anywhere, anytime” before millions of Americans vote in a rematch of the 2020 election.
The two men debated twice during the 2020 general election, a campaign year significantly limited by COVID-19 restrictions, and Biden was noticeably irritated by Trump’s antics in that year’s chaotic first debate.
‘Will you shut up man?’ Biden told Trump at one point during the first debate.
Later on Friday, Trump reacted to Biden’s new public willingness to debate by saying that “everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it.”
Biden himself had previously been vague, saying in March that debating Trump “depends on his behavior.”
The Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced the dates and locations for the three general election debates between the presidential candidates: September 16 in San Marcos, Texas; October 1 in Petersburg, Virginia; and on October 9 in Salt Lake City.
A dozen news organizations wrote to the Biden and Trump campaigns urging both candidates to participate in the debates.
