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Oh, look, another 'fact check' excusing Kamala's non-existent debating skills. Shocker.
Oh great, Trump wanted to debate on Fox News, because nothing says 'fair and balanced' like a network that would give him the home-court advantage. Too bad Harris didn't feel like playing an away game. Let's hope the 10th brings us a debate, not a WWE match.
Published August 23, 2024 at 4:08pm by BrieAnna J. Frank
The claim: Kamala Harris ‘backed out’ of Sept. 4 debate with Trump
Oh, you know what's up everyone! ( direct link, archive link) Everyone's favorite former president and current chaos-monger Donald Trump just dropped a bomb over on Truth Social. Apparently, Kamala Harris isn't playing his little debate game on Fox News come Sept. 4.
“Cackling Kamala has backed out of the debate with President Donald J. Trump,” reads the caption, because apparently, Kamala's laugh is the stuff of nightmares (for some).
This morsel of alternative truth has been shared over 900 times in just three days. Because why fact-check when you can just share, right? The lies are spreading faster than a wildfire on X, formerly Twitter and beyond.
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Our rating: False
News flash: Kamala Harris didn't "back out" of anything. Trump proposed Sept. 4 for a debate, but Kamala never said she was on board. You can't quit something you never joined, folks.
Trump wanted to swap ABC News debate because of litigation
In his Aug. 19 Truth Social post, Trump claimed that Harris won't be doing the Fox News debate. But guess what? Trump suggested that date and network as an alternative to the Sept. 10 ABC News debate because, shocker, he's got a beef with ABC News over some ongoing litigation.
But, surprise surprise, Harris never publicly agreed to the Sept. 4 debate, as reported by USA TODAY.
“It’s interesting how ‘any time, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe space,’” Harris said in an Aug. 3 X post. “I’ll be there on September 10, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there.”
Fact check: Supposed Harris pledge to harm 'Trumpers,' ignore Constitution is total B.S.
Fox News also referred to Sept. 4 as a “proposed” date, not a set one. Both camps are confirmed for the Sept. 10 ABC debate.
USA TODAY has debunked so many of these debate myths, like Biden demanding a chair during the June debate with Trump, and the ridiculous claim that he fell asleep.
We reached out to Harris's campaign, Fox News, and folks spreading the false info, but no response yet. Trump's spokesman Stephen Cheung replied but didn't exactly shed any light.
Snopes also debunked this nonsense.
Our fact-check sources:
- Fox News, Aug. 20, Trump says Kamala Harris will not participate in Fox News debate on Sept. 4
- USA TODAY, Aug. 20, When is the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump?
- Kamala Harris, Aug. 3, X post
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Read more: No, Kamala Harris didn't 'back out' of Sept. 4 debate | Fact check