RNC Seeks to Nuke Commission on Presidential Debates’ Control over 2024 Race

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 29: U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential no
Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images
Wendell Husebø

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) stranglehold on the 2024 presidential debates could become a vestige of the past if the Republican National Committee (RNC) successfully orchestrates a workaround with television networks and the Democrat National Committee (DNC).

Just weeks ago, the RNC took steps towards destroying the CPD’s monopoly over debates by holding a meeting with five major television networks at their headquarters on Capitol Hill. The meeting was “aimed at breaking the country’s 35-year-old system for presidential debates,” six people with knowledge of the meeting confirmed to the Washington Post.

The TV executives reportedly were not opposed upon the idea, encouraging the RNC to approach the DNC about doing away with the monopoly.

“Top GOP officials have privately reached out to Democratic officials in an effort to feel out interest in holding general election debates separate from the commission,” the Post reported. “Advisers to President Biden have not weighed in publicly on the idea, and several advisers declined to comment when asked by The Washington Post whether they would entertain the idea.”

If agreed upon by all three factions, the blockbuster deal could be a monumental move towards updating presidential debates that have often lacked transparency and provided voters with an unfair look at both candidates.

The move comes as President Donald Trump has threatened to boycott the first two GOP primary debates. “When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the ‘questions,’ why subject yourself to being libeled and abused?” he questioned.

“Also, the Second Debate is being held at the Reagan Library, the Chairman of which is, amazingly, Fred Ryan, Publisher of The Washington Post. NO!” Trump said.

Trump does not believe his candidacy should “breath life” into his struggling GOP opponents, according to the New York Times: “Trump has led his nearest rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, by around 30 percentage points in recent polls. All other contenders are polling in single digits.”

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.

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