Trump wants $10m for debate with Sanders
washington — Donald Trump has provisionally accepted Bernie Sanders’ proposal to debate, but the billionaire is setting a high price for participating. His condition: The hosting TV network would have to put up millions of dollars for charity.
Representatives for Fox News, ABC News and CBS News say the networks are interested in hosting such a showdown but would not comment on whether they’d be willing to put up the $10 million Trump is demanding for women’s health causes.
“We’re always interested in more opportunities to hear from the candidates,” said ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend.
Trump said on Thursday a host network would make millions from sky-high ratings and should agree to turn over at least $10 million to women’s health causes.
Overlooking the impediment of Trump’s price tag on his acceptance, Sanders tweeted that he was delighted that Trump accepted, adding: “Let’s do it in the biggest stadium possible.”
Trump and Sanders see potential benefits for pursuing a prime-time event that would be unprecedented, pitting the presumptive Republican nominee against the clear Democratic underdog — and excluding likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
But it’s far from clear any such showdown will happen. In September, Trump proposed that CNN donate profits from the second GOP debate to charity. CNN never responded to the request, and the idea was dropped. Clinton told reporters on Thursday that she understood the proposal for a Sanders-Trump debate was “a joke” and she’s looking forward to debating Trump in the general election campaign. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said the idea was no joke. “We’re serious says: Let’s do it in the biggest stadium possible. > It’s far from clear any such showdown will happen. > Hillary Clintonsays she understood the proposal for a SandersTrump debate was a joke. and hope Mr. Trump is, too,” Briggs said. He said Clinton declined to join Sanders in another Democratic debate.
Appearing on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Sanders said of Clinton’s refusal to debate in California: “I think it’s kind of insulting to the people of the largest state in the United States of America.” — AP
It’s not clear when the showdown will happen