Biden White House Leak Reveals Advisers Urged Early Debate

A newly leaked White House memo from April 2024 reveals that former President Joe Biden’s advisers urged him to debate now-President Donald Trump early in the election cycle to “reach the widest audience possible.” 

The disastrous June 27 debate, in which Biden was often incoherent, was the death knell of his campaign. Under pressure from Democratic Party leaders, he dropped out of the race on July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee.

“By holding the first debate in the spring, YOU will be able to reach the widest audience possible before we are deep in the summer months with the conventions, Olympics, and family vacations taking precedence,” reads the memo from Biden’s “Senior Advisors,” which was published by Politico.

“The earlier YOU are able to debate the better, so that the American people can see you standing next to Trump and showing the strength of YOUR leadership, compared to Trump’s weakness and chaos.”

In fact, Biden’s advisers recommended either June 26 or June 27 for Biden’s first debate, a time frame that was granted to them.

This timing was meant to coincide with the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade, and to avoid conflicting with Biden’s travel schedule. 

This June date was the earliest first debate ever held by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonpartisan organization that coordinates with campaigns to set conditions for the presidential showdowns.

In 2020, the first debate was on Sept. 29; in 2016, it was on Sept. 26; and in 2012, on Oct. 3.

The advisers appear to have had strong opinions on the conditions of the debate, writing, “Anita is leading communication and recommendations on networks and moderators for consideration.”

This is likely a reference to Anita Dunn, a Biden senior adviser.

Presciently, the memo also recommends “the option to reevaluate after the first debate” the timing for a second one. Harris ultimately debated Trump on Sep. 10 in Philadelphia.

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