Right-wing media focuses on ‘imaginary controversy’ suggesting Biden won’t debate Trump
A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.
Joe Biden is afraid to debate President Trump. He wants to stay locked away in his basement bunker. He knows he can’t match Trump’s energy and wit onstage with the country watching and the fate of the election hanging in the balance.
Or so you might think if you’re hooked on right-wing media for your news. The reality is that Biden is very much willing to debate Trump this fall. In fact, his campaign has already agreed to the three debates with Trump.
But speculation on Fox News and other right-wing media outlets has suggested otherwise. If you pay attention to this media universe, you know that stories about Biden skipping debates has totally saturated coverage. It’s everywhere. From the front page of Breitbart to Rush Limbaugh’s radio program to the shows on the country’s highest-rated cable news channel.
In a Monday night statement, Biden spokesperson TJ Ducklo poured cold water on such coverage. Ducklo told me, “Donald Trump and his allies at Fox News have decided an imaginary controversy about debates will be their latest attempt to distract Americans from the president’s disastrous response to the coronavirus, which has cost 150,000 Americans their lives and left millions jobless.”
“This is not a mystery,” Ducklo added. “The debate commission has invited both candidates to participate in three debates. Joe Biden has accepted. Donald Trump has not. Mystery solved.”
Where it originated from
Yes, there have been some NYT opinion pieces and brief chatter about why Biden should skip the debates. Personally, I’ve never taken the suggestions too seriously. It’s always felt like these pundits are talking in theoretical terms. I’d wager that they even know what they are saying and recommending will not actually come to fruition.
WaPo’s Dave Weigel dismissed this nonsense in a single 280-character tweet: “The ‘Biden wants to cancel the debates’ meme is a TV invention. Biden’s agreed to three debates, balked at a fourth. That’s it. ‘He should not debate unless….’ takes are coming from people like Thomas Friedman, who don’t actually work for Biden.”
Complete 180
Ironically, you’ll remember that not-too-long ago, it was the Trump campaign that was suggesting he might not agree to the three scheduled debates. That was over supposed mistrust of the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Bill Stephien said Monday on “Fox & Friends” — his first TV appearance as Trump’s campaign manager — that the campaign wants to see “more debates” and “sooner.” And Erin Perrine said on “The Story” that Biden was setting a “trap door” to skip the debates.
Coverage of such comments from the Trump campaign should really stress that only one campaign has actually suggested skipping the debates. And it’s not Biden’s…
