Former President Donald Trump wasted no time in calling out President Biden.
The day after the two men effectively clinched their respective parties’ presidential nominations with a run of lopsided Super Tuesday wins, Mr. Trump said he’d debate Mr. Biden “anytime, anywhere.”
“It is important for the Good of our Country, that Joe Biden and I Debate issues that are so vital to American, and the American people,” Mr. Trump wrote Wednesday on his Truth Social media platform.
“Therefore, I am calling for Debates, anytime, anywhere, anyplace,” he wrote, lapsing into all capital letters for the last three words, common grist in calling out a rival.
Mr. Trump also said that his past criticisms of previous debate organizers as biased don’t matter any more — he just wants Mr. Biden.
“The Debates can be run by the Corrupt DNC, or their Subsidiary the Commission on Presidential Debates,” he said.
Mr. Trump refused to participate in any Republican presidential primary debates, saying it wouldn’t be to his advantage because he was leading in the polls.
Mr. Biden has not yet said whether he will debate Mr. Trump, fueling doubts about his willingness to appear unscripted for an hour or 90 minutes when his public appearances have been dogged for months by repeated mental lapses and quick fatigue.
The Biden campaign issued a statement deriding Mr. Trump’s callout as “Donald Trump’s [being] thirsty for attention and struggling to expand his appeal beyond the MAGA base.”
“But if he’s so desperate to see President Biden in prime time, he doesn’t have to wait! He can join the tens of millions of Americans who will tune in to watch the State of the Union tomorrow night,” Communications Director Michael Tyler said.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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