CNN
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North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a prime contender to be Donald Trump’s operating mate, sought to boost expectations of President Joe Biden’s debate talents ahead of CNN’s presidential debate on Thursday.
“When he must, he can step up,” the Republican governor advised CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “State of the Union” Sunday, pushing again on what he referred to as “an actual effort on the Biden group to attempt to decrease expectations.”
Citing Biden’s lengthy political expertise, Burgum mentioned: “This man has acquired the flexibility – and we’ve seen it, we’ve seen him in debate 4 years in the past. We’ve seen him within the State of the Union this yr – that when he must, he can step up.”
Burgum joins Trump and different Republican allies who’ve sought to forecast a formidable debate displaying from the president forward of the June 27 debate. Regardless of questioning Biden’s psychological health on the marketing campaign path, Trump mentioned final week that he thought Biden could be a “worthy debater,” pointing to his 2012 vice presidential debate with Paul Ryan.
“I watched him with Paul Ryan, and he destroyed Paul Ryan,” Trump mentioned. “I’m not underestimating him.”
This week’s one-on-one showdown would be the first presidential debate between an incumbent and a former president. It’s going to even be the primary debate since 2020 that includes both Biden, who didn’t face a critical problem for the Democratic nomination, or Trump, who skipped these held in the course of the Republican main race.
A Biden marketing campaign memo on Sunday mentioned that the president will search to concentrate on abortion, democracy, and Trump’s financial plans in the course of the debate. The president and his group are spending the weekend earlier than the controversy at Camp David, poring over briefing binders and holding mock debate periods.
Whereas Trump has held casual briefing periods with advisers and allies, he has additionally stored up an lively marketing campaign schedule.
Requested Sunday about being amongst Trump’s operating mate choices, Burgum mentioned: “He’s acquired loads of nice selections and I believe everyone – the entire nation, possibly, is aware of my background, which is each success in enterprise and success within the govt department as governing.”
“However that’s his alternative on what standards that he needs,” he added.
Burgum, who bought a software program firm to Microsoft for over $1 billion in inventory previous to serving as North Dakota governor, additionally left the door open for presumably contributing his personal private wealth to the marketing campaign if nominated. Federal marketing campaign finance legal guidelines permit for candidates to contribute limitless sums to their very own campaigns.
“If we’re requested, we’ll see what occurs,” he mentioned.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Kate Sullivan contributed to this story.