Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday held a campaign rally in Wisconsin with an empty mic stand next to his podium, symbolic of his eagerness to debate President Biden “anytime, anyplace” ahead of the November election.
“You can see we have an empty podium right here to my right. You know what that is? That’s for Joe Biden,” Trump, 77, told his supporters in Green Bay, motioning toward the vacant lectern.
“I’m trying to get him to debate,” he added. “I’m calling on ‘Crooked Joe’ to debate anytime, anyplace. We’ll do it anyway you want, Joe.”
The mic stand was adorned with a black placard that read, “Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace.”
Trump noted that a debate between him and the 81-year-old incumbent would allow them to “discuss in a friendly manner the real problems of our country.”
“Let’s go have a good, solid, friendly debate,” Trump, who refused to participate in any of the Republican primary debates, implored.
Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler called the stunt a “weak merch play from a guy desperate to avoid talking about how he’s got no cash, no campaign infrastructure, and no answer for how his chaotic, divisive and violent campaign is going to win this November.”
“Trump said last fall only people who are losing want debates,” Tyler added. “At least we agree on something.”
Biden told reporters last month that he may opt against debating Trump ahead of their anticipated election rematch.
“It depends on his behavior,” Biden said.
