By skipping debate, Trump sets precedent for Biden not to debate him
Christopher Tremoglie
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In what could be described as the worst-kept secret in politics, former President Donald Trump has decided he will not participate in the Republican presidential debates. He cited his commanding double-digit lead in Republican primary polls as the main reason for not participating. It would be the second presidential election cycle in which Trump broke tradition and skipped a debate. However, while the Trump campaign may think it’s a shrewd political maneuver, it’s actually self-destructive insofar as it establishes a precedent for President Joe Biden to skip debating Trump (assuming he is the GOP nominee) in the general election.
“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
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Consider the reasons Trump has used for skipping the debate. As mentioned above, he cited polling numbers. In the post on Truth Social, Trump used the public’s familiarity with his accomplishments as a reason to skip. However, Biden would have these same benefits in 2024. So, if these are the standards Trump set to justify not going to the debates, what would stop Biden from doing the same thing during the general election?
First, as the incumbent president, Biden can rightfully claim the public is familiar with his record and “accomplishments” as president. Obviously, his “accomplishments” would differ from Trump’s, but they would still appeal to millions of voters in the country. Next, Biden could point to his lead in polls and cite the recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll that revealed 64% of respondents “would likely not or absolutely will not” vote for Trump in 2024. These things give Biden a pass against debating Trump — should Biden choose to do so.
Trump might have once again sabotaged his political efforts by thinking he was clever. It remains to be seen if Biden would use such a tactic. However, because of Trump, he now has a precedent that he could justifiably use as a reason not to debate. And there’s nothing Trump could say or do to reject such a decision without appearing like a complete hypocrite. He couldn’t legitimately call Biden scared or say he is ducking him. If it plays out this way, it would be another self-inflicted political wound and an unforced error by the former president and the advisers of his presidential campaign.
Ultimately, Trump should participate in the debate. Polling numbers aside, he is skipping it because he doesn’t want to be faced with numerous questions about his legal woes. Furthermore, combined with the fact that most voters think Trump should participate in the debate, citing poll leads and track records to justify not attending looks weak – a trait most voters don’t want in their presidents. Moreover, debates are for the country’s people, not political candidates.
The right thing for Trump to do is to be the strong leader his supporters believe him to be and participate in the debates. If he doesn’t, he has no ground to stand on should Biden opt to do the same next year. And if Biden did do this, Trump would have no one to blame but himself.