CNN Proposes Another Debate. Harris, Trump Answer Quickly

Vice President Kamala Harris accepted an invitation to debate Donald Trump on CNN next month, challenging the former president to consent to a rematch. Trump immediately rejected the idea, the Washington Post reports. "Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate," statement released by the Democratic nominee's campaign said Saturday. "It is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN's moderators, rules, and ratings." That debate was against President Biden; Harris and Trump debated on Sept. 10.

The Republican nominee delivered his answer at a rally in North Carolina. "The problem with another debate is that it's just too late," Trump told the crowd in Wilmington. "Voting has already started." The CNN date is Oct. 23, less than two weeks before Election Day. Trump's aides had given mixed signals about another debate, per Politico, but the candidate posted earlier this month that he would not debate again. CNN confirmed it had issued the invitations but did not immediately respond to Trump's rejection. The network said it would have the same rules as the June debate, taking place in CNN studios in Atlanta without a live audience. "It would be unprecedented in modern history for there to just be one general election debate," the Harris campaign said. (More presidential debate stories.)