Janice R. Andrews
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to withdraw from the forthcoming ABC debate, claiming that the network is “not worthy” of hosting it, in a furious reaction to the Democratic Party’s sudden move. Joe Biden’s sudden departure from the 2024 presidential contest has enraged Trump, who has vented his frustrations on his platform, Truth Social.
Trump began a diatribe against Democrats on Sunday, saying they were squandering the Republican Party’s time and money. He denounced as illegitimate the late-stage transfer that saw Vice President Kamala Harris replace Joe Biden. “So, we are forced to spend time and money on fighting Crooked Joe Biden, he polls badly after having a terrible debate, and quits the race,” the president tweeted. “We now have to begin the process anew. Since everyone in Joe’s immediate vicinity—including his physicians and the fake news media—knew he was incapable of running for or winning the presidency, shouldn’t the Republican Party be held accountable for their deception? Just curious.”
Monday night did not see a decrease in Trump’s rage. Continuing his indictment, he asserted the Democrats “misled the Republican Party, causing it to waste a great deal of time and money.” With regard to ABC, Trump even made suggestions that he could boycott the September 10 debate, calling the network “among the absolute WORST in the business” and “not worthy of holding a Debate.”
The Republican Party’s response to Trump’s fury is similar to his own, even though his campaign has not yet responded to calls for comment. Republicans have vowed to sue Democrats in an effort to stop Harris from using Biden’s campaign cash and ballot position. Legal professionals, however, predict that this attempt will probably fail.
According to reports from The Atlantic, Trump’s campaign was counting on Biden to finish the race. Trump was benefiting from Biden’s dismal campaign as he was ahead in national and swing state surveys. Trump’s rating among younger people has also increased as a result of his performance following Biden’s boring debate.
Trump’s team is forced to change course from its initial plan when it faces Harris, a younger and ostensibly more popular contender. The theme of the campaign has been to paint Biden as the weak and ineffectual candidate, while positioning Trump as the capable substitute. Now that Biden is out, Trump needs to modify his strategy to go after Harris.
Though the move was sudden, Trump’s staff had been ready for Harris to run for office. Trump has already started teasing the vice president with a multitude of monikers, finally deciding on “Lyin’ Kamala Harris” and bragging about his better “pole numbers.” But Harris is presenting herself as a strong foe—a former prosecutor prepared to take on a convicted criminal.
It makes sense that Trump is frustrated. His carefully thought-out campaign plan to oppose Biden now needs a major revision. With Harris now the Democratic nominee, a fresh strategy and message are required.
Trump’s vow to forego the ABC debate highlights his displeasure as he struggles with this unforeseen development. The next several weeks will show how Trump’s campaign adjusts to the shifting dynamics of the 2024 presidential contest, whether he follows through or not.
