RFK Jr. announces plans to debate Biden and Trump despite president's dismissive remark.
In June, CNN debate participation criteria will be met by RFK Jr.
On Wednesday, President Biden reacted with smiles when asked about the possibility of debating former President Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a third time.
After the president dismissed the idea of debating RFK Jr., he announced on X that he would be facing off against both Trump and Biden in a debate.
"RFK Jr. wrote that he will meet the criteria to participate in the CNN debate before the June 20 deadline and is excited to hold Presidents Biden and Trump accountable for their records in Atlanta on June 27 to give Americans the debate they deserve."
On Wednesday, Biden held a meeting with reporters at the Joint Chiefs Combatant Commander's Meeting and made some statements before the session began.
Before being moved out of the room, reporters shouted as many questions as they could after finishing.
Peter Doocy, the White House correspondent for Planet Chronicle Channel, queried Biden about whether he had witnessed Trump's statement regarding a third debate.
The president appears on video smiling and looking down after hearing Doocy's inquiry.
Why not debate a third time? Doocy asked.
Another reporter queried Biden about his anticipation for the debates, and he responded, "I am. Come on."
Biden was questioned by Doocy, and the reporter recorded it with his iPhone.
"Doocy inquired, "You don't want to debate RFK Jr.," to which Biden responded with a smile, indicating agreement."
Plans for Biden and Trump to debate in June and September were finalized.
Biden accepted Trump's invitation to debate anytime, anywhere, and Trump responded by challenging Biden to a debate in a heavily edited video on social media.
The Biden campaign sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) detailing restrictions on any debate with Trump.
The debates were intended to inform American voters on TV, not to be used as entertainment with "raucous or disruptive partisans and donors."
The Biden campaign requested that microphones be muted after the allotted time, a restriction on the number of major news outlets that can host a 2024 presidential debate, and no participation by RFK Jr. or any other third-party candidates.
Biden's team wrote that the debates should be one-on-one to allow voters to compare the only two candidates with a chance of winning the Electoral College, and not waste time on candidates with no chance of becoming President.
Kennedy criticized the requirement in a post on X, alleging that both Trump and Biden were working together to prevent him from participating in the debate.
"RFK Jr. stated that Presidents Trump and Biden are colluding to set up a head-to-head match-up that 70% of Americans do not want, and they are trying to exclude him from their debate because they are afraid he would win. This act of keeping viable candidates off the debate stage undermines democracy."
Planet Chronicle Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
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