Harris Challenges Trump to Rekindle Debate as Democrats Unveil ‘Chicken’ Billboards

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris is urging GOP nominee Donald Trump to participate in a second presidential debate before election day on Nov. 5. However, Trump shows no inclination to reconsider his stance.

“Let’s have another debate,” Harris stated on Sunday. She emphasized the importance of discussing critical issues that voters deserve to hear. The first and only debate took place on September 10, but no agreement has been reached for a follow-up, despite Harris’s calls for further discussion.

After the inaugural debate, Trump announced he wouldn’t agree to another, and during a rally in North Carolina on Saturday, he dismissed the idea, claiming it was “just too late” given that early and mail-in voting has already begun in several states.

Jen O’Malley Dillon, the chair of the Harris-Walz campaign, reiterated that a CNN debate is scheduled for October 23, advocating for Trump’s participation. “Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate,” she pointed out, referencing the familiar format he previously favored.

Despite these appeals, Trump’s campaign appears firm in its decision to skip the next debate. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched a creative campaign to pressure him, utilizing mobile billboards depicting him in a chicken costume with the tagline “chicken.” These billboards will be unveiled in Pennsylvania ahead of a Trump campaign stop.

DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman criticized Trump’s hesitance. “The American people deserve another opportunity to hear Vice President Harris and Donald Trump lay out their starkly different visions for our country,” he stated, contrasting their positions on key platforms.

In the meantime, both candidates are preparing for upcoming interviews with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” which are scheduled to air back-to-back on October 7. The final debates of this cycle will feature the vice presidential candidates, set for October 1 in New York City.

The days leading up to election day will see intensified campaigning. Harris plans to rally in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada this week. Meanwhile, Trump will speak about his tax policies in Savannah, Georgia, before making stops in Michigan.

Democrat Tim Walz, the vice presidential nominee, will also engage with voters at a campaign reception in Minnesota. His counterpart, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, will focus on campaign appearances in Michigan and Georgia, avoiding Capitol Hill activities during the critical final stretch before the election.