(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., expressed regret on Wednesday that President Joe Biden had agreed to debate former President Donald Trump—months after initially declining to do so.
“I, myself, would never recommend going on stage with Donald Trump, but the president has decided that’s what he wants to do,” Pelosi told CNN reporter Manu Raju at the U.S. Capitol.
“I think the format he is suggesting is a good one,” she said, referring to the prerequisites outlined by the 81-year-old president for the debate.
Asked why not: “I think he was stalking Hillary Clinton, he wasn’t professional, he wasn’t presidential, he wasn’t meeting the dignity of the office.”
Says there should be separate townhalls instead
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 15, 2024
The debate is scheduled for June 27 and will be hosted by CNN. Its announcement may have surprised many as the Biden White House had avoided committing to debating his leading opponent for months.
When asked why she opposed the debates, Pelosi cited Trump’s dominance during the 2016 debates with twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
“I think he was stalking Hillary Clinton, he wasn’t professional,” she said, as reported by Raju. “He wasn’t presidential, he wasn’t meeting the dignity of the office.”
Instead, Pelosi proposed town hall meetings, allowing both candidates to present their ideas and policy proposals.
Many critics suggested that Biden’s reluctance to commit to the debate was due to his frequent gaffes and incoherent thoughts.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far.”
In the same post, Trump added, “I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!’”
