Harris campaign suggests Trump avoiding debate because he doesn’t want to defend ‘toxic positions’

Vice President Harris’s campaign argued Friday that former President Trump shared a handful of “toxic positions” on the debate stage earlier this week and suggested he’s avoiding another debate so he doesn’t have to defend them.

Harris has called for another debate after her sharp performance Tuesday night, but Trump said Thursday that he wouldn’t debate Harris again , squashing the idea.

Ian Sams, Harris campaign senior spokesperson and senior adviser for rapid response, sent a memo Friday highlighting “5 toxic positions Trump took” and arguing that those positions will haunt him. He also said Harris was “presidential” and “in total command” during the debate.

“While much of the focus the past few days has rightly been on Vice President Harris’ total and complete shutdown of Trump, it shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle that Trump took at least five toxic positions on the debate stage,” Sams said.

The positions, according to Sams, include Trump refusing to say whether he would veto a national abortion ban, the former president’s position on the 2020 election , saying “we” when talking about the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, saying he had “concepts of a plan” to repeal ObamaCare, and declining to say whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war against Russia.

Harris mocked Trump on Thursday at a North Carolina rally for saying he had “concepts of a plan.”

“Trump should have to answer for these positions,” Sams said, adding, “Trump doesn’t want to have to account for them on another debate stage, but he should have to say what the ‘concepts’ are that he is considering to repeal [ObamaCare],” among other explanations.

“One thing is clear through it all: Trump’s answers on these issues under the bright lights of the debate stage will come back to haunt him in November,” he added.

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