Today for to 79 at cardiac. Com or amazon. This is cnn the Worlds News Network thank you so much for joining me this saturday. Im fredricka whitfield, and we begin this hour with our breaking news. Vice president then Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from cnn to debate former President Trump on October 23. This would be their second meeting on a public like Debate Stage and would take place in the final few weeks of the campaign. After initially rejecting a second debate with harris following his September 10 showdown with her in philadelphia, less quick, trumps suggesting he might be open to another debate saying im quoting him. Maybe if i got in the Right mood and quote the Cnn Debate would mirror the June Debate between Biden And Trump with a similar format in which trump and this time harris would field moderators questions for 90 minutes without a live studio audience. And it would take place at the networks studios in atlanta. Weve got a team of correspondents and analysts joining us to break it all down lets get to brian stelter. Are achieved Media Analyst in a moment. But first lets begin with Steve Contorno at a Trump Rally in North Carolina. So steve, any word whether a trump has heard that harris has accepted Cnns Invitation and if hes willing to follow suit will write off fred, we have confirmation that trumps campaign did receive our invitation to debate just like the Harris Campaign Pain dead and we are still waiting to see if he accepts. We are monitoring his truth, social, minute by minute. He will address this crowd behind me in about an hour. So well see if he perhaps make some news when he gets on the stage. She has gone back and forth over whether or not he wants to have another debate at first, he said that he would accept multiple debates with Vice President harris immediately after that debate, though he said there wont be a third debate and then a week later he hasnt another appearance where he said that thats, you know, if, i was in the Right mood, but we dont know what that means exactly for him, so we will be watching closely to see whether or not Donald Trump make some News Today and announces whether or not he will be participating in our debate Right now though, we have not heard from the campaign. Okay. And then steve, theres the other big Thing Kind of happening saying in North Carolina with the current Lieutenant Governor and cnns reporting about his behavior, language used on a website, and he has responded by saying none of its true. Well, Trump And Mark robinson happen to have been you know, quite familiar with one another on the campaign trail. Sometimes trump will, trump definitely endorsing him, and sometimes a robinson appearing at trump events . What is the likelihood of the two of them coming together today were told by his campaign that theres zero likelihood that he will be here. We he is not invited to Todays Event. Now, look, this is an open event. Theres general admission. He could certainly potentially walk through the gates and come in here so well be keeping our eyes open for that. But this is someone that Donald Trump has supported quite vocally in the past. In fact, he has been over the top in some of his praise of market robinson. Take a listen to what he said when the two appeared at an event together in North Carolina earlier this year this is Martin Luther King on steroids. I think youre better than Martin Luther King. I think you are Martin Luther King times 21 of the great stars of the party. What are the great sir . Partisan politics, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson weve been listening to the preprogramming here were a bunch of republicans have been taking the stage to encourage people to vote for Donald Trump notably, they have not mentioned Mark Robinson. They said theyve been saying they support, they suggest people supports republicans Up And Down the Gop Ticket alRight, Steve Contorno borno, keep us posted as you are there in position. Just when that rally gets underway. AlRight. Brian stelter, lets bring you in. Good to see you, bryan welcome back. On the weekends with me. So what how do you assess this . I mean, harris and her campaign have said yes to Cnns Invitation and saying that as publicly and first, id say thats a big nudge challenge. I mean, kind of goading trump into you know, are you willing to do this too . Yes. I absolutely Right. Cnn says in a statement that the network believes this will be good for the country for voters to have another debate. And i think we can all agree that that is the case. Think about the two debates weve seen so far this year. Both were hugely successful in terms of informing the american people. We learned a lot about biden and then trump in june, and we learned a lot about Trump And Harris just a few weeks ago. Here. Now, we look forward to the next few weeks. The only debate currently scheduled as the Vice President ial debate, thats between Walz And J. D. Vance tim Walz And J. D vance, october 1, we knew the Harris Campaign didnt want to debate again until the Vp Debate but i think heres the interesting thing, fred is the Vp Debate really going to be the last word. It probably shouldnt be the last word historically, it never has been historically. Theres been a Vp Debate and then another president ial debate. So i think that might be the logic or the calculus that does not play here as cnn formerly proposes this debate and as harris accepted upset furthermore, jen omalley, dillon, the Harris Campaign chair, and she said in a statement a few minutes ago, it would be unprecedented in modern history for there to just be one general Election Debate between the two candidates. She said trump should have no problem participating because quote, its the same format and set up as the Cnn Debate he attended in june. Interesting and even and with this truncated political season, now with these two yeah, it would be a remarkable. But then what will it say . Brian . If the former president says no . We remember his all Caps Post on truth social saying there will not be a third debate. We also know that we cant take him at his word and historically, given that he has often changed his mind about many topics from policies to whether he debate again, i personally fred have believed all along that the former president will find it irresistible to reach 60, 607,080 million viewers. President trump more than anyone else knows the power of Television Ratings he cared deeply about that even decades ago on the apprentice, he still cares deeply today about Television Ratings, and he knows that both of the debates hes been in this year had been huge Smash Accesses so my gut as a Tv Guy has been that he will eventually agreed to a debate because he wants to reach that huge audience in the final weeks before, before Election Day, at cnn the Cnn And Offer is out there and i suspect we will hear trump say something about it on the Rally Stage this afternoon whether he goes but the Right scripted or not thatd be surprising Knowledge Right . It would be very unusual. I feel like, you know, the forum is there. He is going to use it manipulated as he wants to. And this seems like an opportunity i can even and i can almost envision him kind of asking the audience, what do you think . Do you think i should do it so well . Brian stelter, i think weve gotten to know them all very well. All Right. Thank you so much. Appreciate Steve Contorno as well. Thank you. All Right. With me now, senior Staff Editor for the New York Times opinion section, david swerdlick. Okay. So your reaction, david, to this harris says yes to Cnns Invitation for an October 23 debate. Now we are awaiting a response from trump. Hes at a rally in wilmington, delaware. What do you think hes considering . And do you think he will accept . Good afternoon, fred. Yeah. So for harris, look, theres a contracted campaign. Shes only been out there for a few months. So it makes sense that she wants another opportunity to talk to 607,080 million people at the same time in terms of trump, because as you and brian were just saying, she laid down the gauntlet first itll be hard for him to turn it down at not seem like he shying away from it and he too like that opportunity to talk to millions of people. So i dont expect that there will be a problem actually getting this thing off the ground. I think that Theres Opportunity for harris, but also parallel, Right. She already one the first debate handily. She past that Threshold Test of beating a former president oneonone. Now assume that trumps staff is going to make him buckled down and prepare much better. I dont think this will be as easy for harris this time. Interesting, okay, preparation though, and trump usually not where did you put together . And he prides himself on being spontaneous and kind of in the moment and reading the room again, there will be no audience in this room. If indeed he agrees to the same terms that she did but at the same time whats the incentive for him . You know, from Trumps Point of view, to change his style to do anything differently because remember, he walked away saying that she said she wanted another debate to him translation was, i need a rematch. Right . Former President Trump had to spin it as if he did well, but he didnt. I think the consensus was that harris was better prepared. She did a good job. Look, i ive been on air enough times with you, fred to know that you anchors like people to answer the questions theyre asked harris was smart when she didnt like a question, she answered the question she wanted to answer. Trump on the other hand, state on topics that didnt favor him. He knows whether hill admitted or not that he did poorly. And so now i think whats in it for him to answer your original question is to show that he can be at least as good if not better. That are then Vice President harris ultimately though, lets remind ourselves and your viewers the goal is to win the election. Theres no trophy for debating this is the goal is to debate in a way that wins you the election, Right . Okay. All Right. So meantime, trump is in wilmington, North Carolina well see if he says anything to his supporters at this rally about this debate, whether he asked them for their opinion, Et Cetera but the other thing that is likely to happen is people are waiting and watching to see if the states republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who posted the stood sexist, racist, lewd comments on a porn website, would show up anywhere in that arena. I mean, he denies the postwar from him he did not drop out of the race by the state deadline. North carolina is a vital Wind State what kind of acknowledgment do you think there might be from trump on the matter of this Lieutenant Governor fred No Idea what acknowledgement there will be, but i would say that if the Trump Campaign doesnt want robinson at Todays Event in wilmington than it would be insane for robinson to show up at this point. The one thing he still got is that he hasnt gone out of his way to irritate former President Trump if he were to do that, if thats the case, then you can imagine him really cooking himself politically, even beyond whats already happened. Lets remember about the dynamics here where i am in North Carolina, its Neck And Neck between Trump And Harris that was the case before this story. Thats the case after its less than a Point Difference between them in the Polling Averages in terms of the governors race, there was already a wide margin. Attorney general josh stein, the democrat, was already up by high singledigits before this story. Hes up by high singledigits now. So this does is a disaster for the Robinson Campaign with this really doesnt mentally change the race here in this state so, you know, trump, you know, he did appear with robinson a few times, even calling him Martin Luther King junior you know. In fact, Martin Luther King the third talk to our Wolf Blitzer Yesterday in responded this way i dont even know exactly what that means, but it does not mean anything positive. The fact that these things have been attributed to what this person stood for. And it certainly has nothing to do with what my father and his team and others have stood for about decency, about justice, about creating the kind of nation that where all people are treated a tree are treated fairly and its unfortunate. Again. But maybe not surprising. Weve seen this kind of behavior from the former president many times so david, you know, trump seems to be able to endure if not capitalize on his convictions, allegations, other cases in which hes been found liable Will Trump supporters stay with robinson in North Carolina like they are staying with trump . Right . I think Hardcore Trump supporters hardcore people on the political Right, well stick with robinson. But again, youve already got that margin where the democrat in this case is wellliked, running a disciplined campaign and his way ahead, lets remember in North Carolina, the last 30 years, even though this is a Red State or a purpleish Red State, its not a deep Red State. Weve had four democratic governors, including the incumbent is a democratic governor, even though trump has won the last two president ial elections here. And remember, obama won North Carolina in 2008. Its not a deep deep Red State. Last point on Trump And Mlk just quickly fred look as mlk, the third set in that clip you played. You go issue by issue. Mark robinson, obviously does not match up with Martin Luther King junior, but more to the point about what trump said when he endorsed Mark Robinson, is that it calls back two years ago when he called Out Of The Blue oh, frederick douglass, i hear hes doing really good things are im paraphrasing, but something like that hes sort of playing himself when he just reaches four a famous or revered black name to compare to someone who is just a Garden Variety statewide politician. And i dont think that plays well even with people who are inclined to vote for him all Right, david swerdlick, always great talking to you. Thank you so much and sharing a truck here and there as well all Right. Coming up all ballots must now be Hand Counted in georgia. That new rule coming from the states gop Majority Election Board. 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