Pollster and political operative Frank Luntz gave an ominous prediction for President Trump should he and Democratic nominee Joe Biden not meet up for another debate.
Luntz did not mince words when Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto asked him on Wednesday afternoon which candidate would be hurt more if there are no more debates given the president's COVID-19 diagnosis.
"I’ll be blunt with you. If there are no more presidential debates, then Joe Biden is the next president of the United States, and I have no hesitation in saying that. I know that there will be eruptions all over 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," he said. "Donald Trump needs those debates to bring the answers that he has and the challenges that Joe Biden has to the American people."
"Without that, Joe Biden can coast," Luntz acknowledged. "Doesn’t need to go to events. And he wins based on the current polling numbers. So Trump needs debates. However, I have faith in the presidential commission that they will do the right thing, and the people on that commission put their country ahead of their party, and that’s brilliant."
His comments came hours before Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris are set to debate in the only face-off between them. The Commission on Presidential Debates approved the use of plastic dividers for the debate after Trump and others within his orbit tested positive for COVID-19 even though some experts said the plexiglass will not stop the virus, the New York Times reported.
The next presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 15, and the president has already said he wants it to go forward. Biden said earlier this week that the debate should be called off if the president is still testing positive for COVID-19.
