Harris says she wants original plan for debate with Trump

By Josh Boak And Chris Megerian, The Associated Press on July 25, 2024.

Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two as she departs from Ellington Airport in Houston, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Harris is returning to Washington, after delivering remarks at a teachers' union event. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters on Thursday that she’s “ready to debate Donald Trump.”

She accused him of “backpedaling” away from a previous agreement for a debate hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10.

“I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on the debate stage,” she said after landing at Joint Base Andrews following a trip to Indiana and Texas.

The Sept. 10 debate was one of two debates that President Joe Biden and Trump had agreed on. The first one was hosted by CNN on June 27, but Biden has since dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris as his successor.

Trump has said he would prefer to shift the debate to Fox News, but he would be willing to face off with Harris more than once.