Vice President Kamala Harris called for another presidential debate on Sunday while talking to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, but mistakenly noted that she hoped for “the former vice president to” agree to the debate.
“Well, you’ve probably heard I would like another debate,” Harris said while walking up to reporters.
She continued, “So, I’m hoping the former vice president will agree to that, but we have a lot more to discuss.”
The White House transcript appears to have corrected her remarks, replacing “the vice president” with “the former president” to refer to her Republican rival, Donald Trump.
“Which Vice President is she talking about here?” a social media user asked.
The Trump campaign’s X account “Trump War Room” mocked her gaffe.
“Kamala says she’d ‘like another debate’ with the ‘former vice president.’ Does she think she’s running against Mike Pence? Dick Cheney? Dan Quayle? Has she covered up Biden’s cognitive decline for so long that it has now rubbed off on her?” the campaign account inquired on Sunday.
Harris was asked by a reporter on the tarmac about her “message to Donald Trump” in regards to a second presidential debate.
“Join me on the debate stage. Let’s have another debate. There’s more to talk about,” she said.
The Democratic presidential nominee added, “The voters of America deserve to hear the conversations that I think we should be having on substance, on issues, on policies, what’s your plan, what’s my plan. … We should have another one before Election Day.”
I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23.
I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me. https://t.co/Trb8HUBsDh
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 21, 2024
On Saturday, Harris accepted an offer from CNN for a second presidential debate, which would be scheduled for Oct. 23. The former president later responded by telling a crowd at a campaign event in Wilmington, North Carolina, that it was “too late” for another debate.
“She’s had her chance to do it with Fox,” Trump said. “You know, Fox invited us on, and I waited and waited, and they turned it down. They turned it down, but now she wants to do a debate right before the election with CNN because she’s losing badly.”
On Aug. 3, the former president agreed to a Fox News debate with the vice president but the Harris campaign opted instead for an ABC News debate on Sept. 10.
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CNN previously hosted the June 27 debate between Trump and President Joe Biden that ultimately led to a political pressure campaign to end the current president’s election bid.
CBS News has an Oct. 1 debate scheduled for vice presidential candidates Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH). It will be held in New York City.