It’s no secret that former President Donald Trump has been ready to debate President Joe Biden since the beginning of the primaries. On Tuesday, he announced again that he would debate the president “anytime, anyplace, anywhere.”
At his campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump sent a clear message to Biden. On stage with him, the former president had an empty podium with an empty mic stand.
This is good strategy. If biden refuses mention the “take you behind the gym” threat. https://t.co/VvZ1cMqALV
— Independent Conservative🏴🇨🇱 (@scojocentex) April 3, 2024
“You can see we have an empty podium right here to my right. You know what that is? That’s for Joe Biden,” the 77-year-old told his supporters.
“I’m trying to get him to debate,” he added. “I’m calling on ‘Crooked Joe’ to debate anytime, anyplace. We’ll do it anyway you want, Joe, so that we can discuss in a friendly manner the real problems of our country — of which there are many — instead of trying to have corrupt prosecutors fight your battles for you. That’s no good. Let’s go have a good, solid, friendly debate.”
President Trump: "We have an empty podium right here to my right. You know what that is? That’s for Joe Biden. I’m trying to get him to debate.
I am calling on Crooked Joe to debate any time, any place. We’ll do it anywhere you want, Joe!” pic.twitter.com/l4qoSbRUcP
— GOP (@GOP) April 3, 2024
Trump has speculated that Biden refuses to debate him because he is afraid of going one-on-one with him. Between Biden not being able to finish a thought, his track record, losing in the polls and the crisis at the southern border, there are many reasons why the president would decline to debate.
According to Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler, however, Trump’s message was nothing more than a stunt. He said that Trump is “desperate” and needs something to talk about besides his financial woes.
He also claimed that the reason behind the former president wanting to debate so badly is because he’s losing, attempting to use Trump’s words about losers in the GOP primary wanting to debate against him.
Biden is hidin'.
Trump: "I want to debate Biden. I've put out a call, for the good of the nation, we should debate. Any time, any place!"pic.twitter.com/xOXnlxmam4
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 4, 2024
Last month when Biden was asked whether he would debate Trump ahead of their scheduled debates, he replied that it would depend on his opponent’s behavior.
It seems that the president is doing everything he can to not debate his opponent. Back in February when asked about debating Trump, Biden’s response was, “If I were him, I’d want him to debate me, too. He’s got nothing else to do.”
Knowing Biden, he will avoid debating Trump until he is forced to. In the meantime, it would be smart for him to practice putting complete, coherent sentences together.