Major US TV Networks Reportedly Urging Biden and Trump to Debate

The five major TV networks have prepared a joint letter urging President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to participate in televised debates, per the New York Times (Lean Left bias).

The Details: The letter, endorsed by ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News, is reportedly not yet final as the networks seek further endorsements from other national news networks.

For Context: Trump has vowed that he would debate Biden, but Biden has declined to comment on the three debates scheduled for this fall. The last time Americans did not see a live televised debate from the leading candidates was in 1976. General election debates are usually some of the most-viewed television programs of the year. 

Key Text: Per the Times, the letter reads, “If there is one thing Americans can agree on, during this polarized time, it is that the stakes of this election are exceptionally high. There is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of the nation.”

How The Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum noted Trump’s often chaotic demeanor during debates and that he’s expressed a significant willingness to debate Biden. All three sources included that Trump pulled out of the second debate with Biden in 2020, but Deadline (Center bias) and The Daily Mail (Right bias) noted it was due to Trump’s COVID-19 ailments, whereas The New York Times did not mention the reason.