Elections

Bernie Sanders Campaign Hopes Debate With Trump ‘Comes Together As Soon As Possible’

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
Font Size:

Bernie Sanders’ campaign manager released a statement Friday saying he hopes a debate with Donald Trump “comes together as soon as possible.” But Trump says it’s not going to happen.

“Our campaign and the Trump campaign have received two offers by broadcast television networks to host the Sanders-Trump debate that we suggested,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said. “Both offers include a major contribution to charity.”

Added Weaver: “We are prepared to accept one of those offers and look forward to working with the Trump campaign to develop a time, place and format that is mutually agreeable.”

“Given that the California primary is on June 7, it is imperative that this all comes together as soon as possible,” he said. “We look forward to a substantive debate that will contrast the very different visions that Sen. Sanders and Mr. Trump have for the future of our country.”

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week, Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was asked if he would debate Sanders, the Democratic presidential candidate. Sanders’ primary rival, Hillary Clinton, has declined to debate Sanders anymore.

“If I debated him we would have such high ratings and I think we should take that money and give it to some worthy charity,” Trump said on Kimmel’s show. “If we paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that.”

Trump on Friday released a statement declining the debate, saying: “I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party.”

Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and Deborah Wasserman Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher. Likewise, the networks want to make a killing on these events and are not proving to be too generous to charitable causes, in this case, women’s health issues. Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders – and it would be an easy payday – I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be.

Follow Alex on Twitter