Headline RoundupMay 17th, 2024
2024 Presidential Election, Debates, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Politics
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is fighting to join the scheduled debates between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Can he get on the stage, and what impact will he have if he does participate?
Key Quotes: In a post on social media, Kennedy stated, “I’m happy to report that I will meet the criteria to participate in the CNN debate before the June 20 deadline. I look forward to holding Presidents Biden and Trump accountable for their records in Atlanta on June 27 to give Americans the debate they deserve.”
Criteria: Newsweek (Center bias) reported that to qualify for the debates, Kennedy must poll an average of at least 15% in four national polls and get on the ballots in enough states to acquire 270 electoral votes. Kennedy has hit 10% in some polls, but still has a way to go to reach the ballot criteria. Fox News (Right bias) reported the Biden campaign agreed to the debates on the condition that third-party candidates are not permitted to participate. Kennedy deemed this to be an effort to “lock America into a head-to-head match-up that 70% say they do not want.”
Impact: An analysis in the Daily Beast (Left bias) determined that participating in the debates would “give Kennedy an unprecedented level of exposure and a patina of legitimacy in the eyes of undecided voters.” The article stated that Kennedy could “open a can of brain worms” for both Trump and Biden should he participate.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
How RFK Jr. Could Open a Can of Brain Worms at the Debates
Daily Beast See rating detailsNews
Amid a flurry of news earlier this week on the newly announced slate of presidential debates, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pulled a Trumpian move by preemptively declaring he will meet the standards and qualify to appear.
He also accused his opponents of “colluding” to keep him off the debate stage. But if Kennedy can actually make the debates, it could open a can of brain worms for President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
“The problem with RFK is he’s a wild card,” a Trump-aligned GOP strategist...
Possible Paywall
From the Center
How RFK Jr. Could Join Trump-Biden Debate
Newsweek See rating details
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
News
It is unclear whether independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will join President Joe Biden and Donald Trump for the upcoming televised live debates.
On Wednesday, Biden and Trump agreed to two debates as the pair prepare for a rematch of their 2020 race in November. The first one will take place June 27 in Atlanta, hosted by CNN, with the second scheduled for September 10 on ABC.
While announcing the June debate, CNN said that in order to qualify a candidate's name must appear on a sufficient...
Possible Paywall
From the Right
RFK Jr. says he'll debate Biden, Trump moments after president laughs him off
Fox News Digital See rating details
Getty Images
News
President Biden responded with smiles Wednesday, after being asked about debating former President Donald Trump a third time, and possibly even Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Shortly after the president laughed off the possibility of debating RFK Jr., the latter posted on X that he'd be debating both Trump and Biden.
"I’m happy to report that I will meet the criteria to participate in the [CNN] debate before the June 20 deadline," RFK Jr. wrote. "I look forward to holding Presidents Biden and Trump accountable for their records in Atlanta on...
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