Why should Trump give Kamala exactly what she wants?
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) recently advised former President Donald Trump to agree to any changes proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign for the upcoming ABC News debate. Cruz emphasized the critical importance of ensuring the debate occurs, despite potential bias from the network.
In a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Cruz rejected the notion that Trump should refuse to adjust to the demands of Harris’s campaign. Both Cruz and Hannity voiced concerns about ABC News’s impartiality, but Cruz maintained that Trump should proceed with the debate.
“Sean, I firmly believe Trump should participate in the debate,” Cruz stated. “And honestly, he should agree to whatever the rules are, no matter how unreasonable. It’s going to be a tough environment, and it’s likely to be skewed against him.”
Cruz expressed concern that Harris might use rule changes as a tactic to avoid the debate entirely. “Kamala Harris is trying to find an excuse to skip the debate,” Cruz added. “We need her there because without this debate, her campaign will avoid answering any tough questions up until Election Day. Their strategy relies on avoiding scrutiny and focusing on vague, optimistic messages while ignoring her record of failures.”
The debate’s format has become contentious, especially regarding rules for muting microphones. Originally, the rules were negotiated during President Biden’s tenure, and some have argued that muted mics might have worsened Biden’s performance during previous debates. Harris’s campaign is now pushing to remove these constraints, leading to questions about whether Trump will participate if the rules change.
Despite Hannity’s suggestion that Trump should insist on the original rules and let Harris either agree or withdraw, Cruz advised a different approach. “Let them set whatever rules they want,” Cruz said. “Whether it’s mics being muted or any other stipulation, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that Trump gets the chance to present his record and contrast it directly with Harris’s disastrous tenure.” Cruz concluded, “Our focus should be on showcasing the successes of Trump’s presidency compared to the failures of Harris and the current administration.”
