Dec 16, 2019 - Politics & Policy
Trump calls Commission on Presidential Debates "very biased"
Donald Trump debates Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in October 2016. Photo: Mark Ralston-Pool/Getty Images
President Trump said that he is looking forward to debating the eventual Democratic presidential nominee, but signaled that he may not work with the Commission on Presidential Debates in a series of Monday tweets.
The big picture: Trump's tweets confirm a New York Times report from last week, which said that the president mistrusted the bipartisan nonprofit organization after his campaign clashed with its officials during the 2016 cycle.
- Trump has long complained that his microphone malfunctioned during the first debate in 2016, which the commission acknowledged in a brief statement at the time.
- The then-candidate also tried to seat a group of women who accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual assault and misconduct in his VIP box during the second debate — forcing commission officials to intervene, per the Washington Post.
What he said:
"I look very much forward to debating whoever the lucky person is who stumbles across the finish line in the little watched Do Nothing Democrat Debates. My record is so good on the Economy and all else, including debating, that perhaps I would consider more than 3 debates.
"The problem is that the so-called Commission on Presidential Debates is stacked with Trump Haters & Never Trumpers. 3 years ago they were forced to publicly apologize for modulating my microphone in the first debate against Crooked Hillary.
"As President, the debates are up to me, and there are many options, including doing them directly & avoiding the nasty politics of this very biased Commission. I will make a decision at an appropriate time but in the meantime, the Commission on Presidential Debates is NOT authorized to speak for me (or R’s)!"