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The remarks were Biden's clearest yet on the prospect of a
presidential debate. Biden had not previously committed to
debate Trump, saying last month it would depend on the former
president's behavior.
Trump, who refused to debate his rivals before winning the
Republican primary race last month, has in recent weeks been
challenging Biden to engage in a one-on-one match-up with him,
offering to debate the incumbent Democrat "anytime, anywhere,
anyplace."
Earlier this month, Trump's top two campaign advisers sent a
letter to an independent commission that normally sanctions such
events calling for an accelerated debates timetable, holding
more than the usual three and starting them earlier in the
campaign cycle.
A dozen leading U.S. news organizations have also urged the
candidates to publicly commit to debating each other.
Their statement suggested that debates for the current race be
sponsored, as they have every election cycle since 1988, by the
nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
Biden's camp has been concerned that once on stage Trump will
not abide by rules set by the Commission, and some Biden
advisers say they would prefer not to elevate Trump by putting
him on the same stage with the Democratic incumbent.
Biden has a lead among registered voters of 41% to 37% over
Trump, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found earlier this month.
Asked during a trip to Las Vegas in early February about Trump
calling for Biden to debate him, Biden said, "If I were him, I
would want to debate me too. He's got nothing to do."
Biden and Trump faced each other in two televised presidential
election debates during the 2020 campaign.
(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt;
Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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