Looks like there might not be a Donald Trump-Bernie Sanders debate after all. On Friday, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he wouldn’t debate the Vermont Senator, despite hints at the possibility earlier this week.
On Wednesday, Trump said he would be open to debating Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders one-on-one, which led to widespread speculation that the debate would actually happen, despite the fact that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a stronger possibility of becoming the Democratic Nominee.
Trump’s tune changed rapidly over the course of the next two days, however, and on Friday he said it wouldn’t be “appropriate” to debate the second place finisher.
Although Trump said he would “love” to debate Sanders, there were some stipulations to the debate actually happening -- Trump said there would have to be “a lot of money put up for charity” in order for a debate to happen, saying he wanted to raise at least $10 million to $15 million for charity to schedule the debate.
He had other terms, as well.
"I understand the television business very well. I think we’d get very high ratings. It should be in a big arena somewhere,” he said.
Even Sanders said he was all in on the idea, taking to Twitter shortly after Trump said he would be willing to face off before the June 7 primary.
“Game on,” the Vermont Senator wrote. “I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary.”
The Sanders campaign team ramped up efforts for a Trump-Sanders faceoff, with members of Sanders’ campaign team saying they hoped Trump didn’t “chicken out” on following through with the debate.
"We are ready to debate Donald Trump,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. “We hope he will not chicken out. I think it will be great for America to see these two candidates and the different visions they have for America going forward.”
Unfortunately for Sanders’ team, it looks like they might not be getting their wish after all.
Trump explained an unfair nominating process was part of why the cards had been stacked against Sanders and why he would refuse to debate him.
“Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and Deborah Wasserman Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher,” he said in a statement. “Likewise, the networks want to make a killing on these events and are not proving to be too generous to charitable causes, in this case, women’s health issues.”
As a result, Trump said he would wait it out to debate Clinton later on in the race.
“Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders - and it would be an easy payday - I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be,” he added.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
Comments
Why should Trump debate him?
Trump is a true bully wimp.
A "Treasonous woman" and a
Wednesday trump said okay