Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” called the Commission on Presidential Debates “corrupt” for canceling next week’s event.
Partial transcript as follows:
MARGARET BRENNAN: As we know, he is recovering. You just heard our latest read from CBS’s Anthony Salvato. Do you think these days off the campaign trail and now a canceled debate for this week have put the president behind?
MCDANIEL: You know, we’ve been looking at our numbers internally as well. We are not seeing that. We’ve seen the president actually increase in his numbers. I think voters are very frustrated by the corrupt debate commission that they would cancel a second debate. I think it feeds into the belief that this 47 years that Joe Biden has had is- has had in DC is again protecting him from facing the voters. And Americans are frustrated that this election commission interfered with our ability to see these two candidates debate.
BRENNAN: There are Republicans on that commission, and that decision was made in part due to health concerns because of lack of disclosure, as you know.
MCDANIEL: Well, they’re not non-partisan Republicans. Those Republicans have been very critical of this president. They did not follow the science. It was done unilaterally without talking to the candidates, and they interfered in the election. It is corrupt. It is what D.C. is. They are in the pocket of Joe Biden, and they prevented the American public from seeing these candidates debate. And it’s wrong for the country.
BRENNAN: So it sounds like you do think that could be a negative for the president. When you heard those stats on- on the economy in particular, that stood out to me because you always say this is the most resonant message for the president. But in Michigan, the state you know well, he’s even with Biden on perception of who would be better on the economy. Why isn’t that working?
MCDANIEL: I think the debate situation is a negative for Biden. I think it plays into this D.C. politician who’s been there for 47 years, who isn’t getting tough questions from the media. He’s refusing to answer about whether he’s going to pack the Supreme Court, upending 150 years of- of our judicial standards. And he’s saying, I’ll tell you after the election. This is egregious that this candidate is getting away with this–
BRENNAN: What about the economy?
MCDANIEL: –and this is what happens when you’re wired in D.C.. The president, of course, is doing better on the economy. The PPP loans is what saved this economy. They did more loans in 14 months- or 14 days that had been done in 14 months. He saved businesses. This president had our economy in the best shape before this pandemic. He’s already leading us out of it. The American people recognize that.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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