It always seemed too good to be true. Now Donald Trump says that, actually, despite what he said on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night, he doesn’t want to debate Bernie Sanders after all:
Never mind, Donald Trump doesn’t want to debate Bernie Sanders after all
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Libby Nelson was Vox’s editorial director, politics and policy, leading coverage of how government action and inaction shape American life. Libby has more than a decade of policy journalism experience, including at Inside Higher Ed and Politico. She joined Vox in 2014.
Trump says he WILL NOT debate Bernie: " it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher" pic.twitter.com/EhUgIx2Nt5
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) May 27, 2016
In a statement that was remarkably insult-dense even for the presumptive Republican nominee, Trump managed to insult Sanders (debating him would be “an easy payday”), Hillary Clinton (“crooked”), Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (“the Democratic nomination process is totally rigged”), and the TV networks (“would make a killing on this event”).
Sanders, on the other hand, seemed more than up for the debate, even urging his supporters to sign up if they wanted to watch:
I am delighted that @realDonaldTrump has agreed to debate. Let’s do it in the biggest stadium possible.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016
Add your name if you want to see a #BernieTrumpDebate on the major issues before California's primary on June 7. https://t.co/9jemas288L
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 27, 2016
Unfortunately for Sanders and his supporters, Trump now says he’ll wait to debate the Democratic nominee.
