According to three informed sources, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris and the Republican’s newly nominated vice presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance, have not reached an agreement on the conditions for participating in a televised debate.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday (July 16) that sources unwilling to disclose their identities stated that the two parties have made no progress on the differences regarding television network partners and the format of the debate. However, they anticipate that formal discussions will commence soon.
Harris had previously accepted an invitation from CBS News to participate in a debate on July 23 or August 13.
Two months ago, former President Donald Trump, representing his then-undecided running mate, agreed to those dates but requested the debate be held on Fox News. Biden’s team has indicated they will refuse this arrangement.
Biden’s campaign spokesperson, TJ Ducklo, told the media on Monday (July 15) after Vance was nominated as the Republican vice presidential candidate, “Vice President Kamala Harris is ready to debate JD Vance. We’ve accepted CBS’ proposal – everyone knows – to participate in this debate, and we are very confident about it.”
According to a source familiar with the discussions, Harris urged Vance in a congratulatory voicemail to accept CBS’ debate arrangement.
Trump expressed his desire for Harris and his running mate to debate at a historically black university in Virginia – Virginia State University, with Fox News also expressing approval. If it happens, this would be the first time a debate is hosted by a black university in history.
It was reported that one of the factors Trump considered when evaluating potential vice presidential candidates was finding someone who could perform well in a debate against Harris. In this regard, Vance stood out.
During his 2022 Senate campaign, Vance first caught Trump’s attention – in a highly competitive primary where candidates seemed more focused on seeking Trump’s approval rather than Republican votes. The retired Marine Corps veteran impressed Trump with his calm demeanor and big-picture thinking, eventually gaining his support.
Vance has consistently held a hawkish stance on China, aligning with Trump’s positions.
It remains to be seen whether Vance will agree to the dates proposed by CBS, as Trump’s campaign team has yet to respond to this.