Might Skip the Debate? - Biden Spokesperson Makes Insane Statement

Michael Tyler, the communications director for Biden-Harris 2024, made a provocative statement suggesting that former President Donald Trump might skip the much-anticipated CNN debate with President Joe Biden.

CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are set to moderate the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday night.

Pointing out that Trump did not participate in any of the GOP primaries in 2024, Tyler subtly expressed doubts about Trump’s attendance in Atlanta. However, there has been no indication from either camp that Trump or Biden will be absent from the debate.

Here is a transcript of the conversation:

KATE BOLDUAN: Where are you willing to set expectations for tonight?

MICHAEL TYLER: Listen, I think the Trump team is playing games that we’ve always seen them do it right. They like to use debates as entertainment process. They like to complain about debates. Sometimes they skip out on debates.

The president will be there tonight. We still assume that Donald Trump will be there as well. But listen, the fact of the matter is they play these games because they know on the issues that matter. Most of the American people, Donald Trump is a loser, right?

When you talk about the things that the president said he wants to talk to Donald Trump about, the role that Donald Trump played in overturning Roe v Wade. The American people fundamentally disagree with that. Donald Trump still thinks that the extreme state level abortion bans that he’s responsible for are playing out brilliantly.

When you talk about the type of economy that Donald Trump wants to return us to, where he’s out on the stump talking about more tax breaks for the ultra wealthy, more give out giveaways for corporations. The American people fundamentally disagree with that.

And, of course, when considering the threat Trump poses to our democracy, highlighted by January 6th and his ongoing promises to pardon the insurrectionists, the majority of Americans again disagree.

And of course, when you talk about the threat that Donald Trump poses to our democracy, most definitely seen on January 6th, but every day, again, out on the stump at his MAGA rallies, where he’s promising to pardon the insurrectionists of January 6th, the vast majority of American people again disagree with that.

So he doesn’t want to talk about the issues going into the debate. But the problem for him is he’s going to have to answer for all of those things on the debate stage tonight.

WATCH:

A recent poll by The New York Times and Siena College found that if the 2024 race were held today, 48 percent of Americans would vote for Trump, compared to 42 percent for Biden, with 10 percent undecided or unwilling to vote.

Preliminary polling ahead of the November election suggests both candidates are likely headed for a direct contest for a second term. Trump has shown stronger performance in key swing states like Georgia and Pennsylvania, which voted Democratic in 2020.

However, Biden appears to maintain support among young voters, who have been crucial in recent Democratic victories.

Research by FiveThirtyEight, a highly regarded pollster, indicates that the majority of people oppose a second term for either candidate. Nearly 60% rate Biden as "somewhat unfavorable" or "very unfavorable," while about 52% feel the same about Trump.

Biden's polling numbers have been weak recently.

Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, noted that “voters who think the cost of living is rising support Trump over Biden, 56% to 32%.”

Kimball added: “Income perception aligns with candidate preference, with those feeling their income is far below average favoring Trump 50% to 32% and those feeling it’s far above average favoring Biden 55% to 29%.”

According to the Emerson College poll, Trump has 46% of the vote, compared to 43% for Biden. Since Emerson’s earlier survey this month, Biden has seen a two-point decline, while Trump’s support remains steady at 46%.

Emerson also analyzed voter preferences based on work hours.

From Emerson: “Analysis of voter work hours reveals distinct candidate preferences. Non-workers are evenly split: 45% support Trump, 44% Biden. Those working 30 hours or less favor Biden over Trump (52% to 37%), while those in the 30-40 hour bracket are divided (45% Biden, 43% Trump). Trump gains support among those working 40-60 hours, with increasing margins as hours increase, peaking at 80% for those working over 60 hours, compared to 7% for Biden.”

Below are some more of the topline findings from the Emerson poll:

–On a ballot test including independent candidates, 44% support Trump, 40% Biden, 8% Robert Kennedy Jr., and 1% Cornel West; 8% are undecided.

–Kennedy Jr. has the support of 13% of independent voters, 12% of voters under 30, and 9% of Black voters.

–In a hypothetical ballot test for the 2024 U.S. congressional elections, a generic congressional Democrat and Republican are tied at 45%, while 11% are undecided.

–Among undecided voters in the presidential election, 31% support the Democratic congressional candidate, and 19% the Republican; 50% are undecided in the generic congressional election.

–The economy is the top issue for 36% of voters, followed by immigration at 21%, threats to democracy at 10%, healthcare at 9%, abortion access at 7%, and crime at 6%.

–Compared with American families in general, 44% of voters think their family income is average, while 38% think it is below average, and 18% think their family income is above average.