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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump backs out of debate with Bernie Sanders | Donald Trump backs out of debate with Bernie Sanders |
| (2 days later) | |
| Republican nominee Donald Trump has backed out of an offer to debate Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. | Republican nominee Donald Trump has backed out of an offer to debate Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. |
| Mr Trump's campaign said it would be "inappropriate" to debate the second place finisher since Hillary Clinton is poised to win the nomination. | Mr Trump's campaign said it would be "inappropriate" to debate the second place finisher since Hillary Clinton is poised to win the nomination. |
| Mr Sanders' campaign had said it was willing to participate in a debate with the billionaire businessman, who has clinched the Republican nomination. | |
| The debates would have included contributions to charity. | The debates would have included contributions to charity. |
| The Sanders campaign said it would "look forward to a substantive debate that will contrast the very different visions that Senator Sanders and Mr Trump have for the future of our country." | The Sanders campaign said it would "look forward to a substantive debate that will contrast the very different visions that Senator Sanders and Mr Trump have for the future of our country." |
| Mr Trump had joked that he was willing to debate Mr Sanders during an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel programme. | Mr Trump had joked that he was willing to debate Mr Sanders during an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel programme. |
| Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter | Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter |
| If the drama over the on-again, off-again Trump-Sanders debate was the first skirmish of the Clinton-Trump general election battle, you can mark Mrs Clinton down as the winner. | If the drama over the on-again, off-again Trump-Sanders debate was the first skirmish of the Clinton-Trump general election battle, you can mark Mrs Clinton down as the winner. |
| While Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump danced around the prospect of an unprecedented 1 v 2 pre-convention showdown, the former secretary of state didn't take the bait and held her tongue. | While Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump danced around the prospect of an unprecedented 1 v 2 pre-convention showdown, the former secretary of state didn't take the bait and held her tongue. |
| Instead Mr Sanders comes off as a bit desperate, looking for any opportunity to take a moment in the spotlight, even if it would benefit the Republicans and undermine Democratic unity efforts. | Instead Mr Sanders comes off as a bit desperate, looking for any opportunity to take a moment in the spotlight, even if it would benefit the Republicans and undermine Democratic unity efforts. |
| And Mr Trump was put in the unusual position of having to claim the event - which would have been compelling television that attracted an audience of tens of millions - was "inappropriate". | And Mr Trump was put in the unusual position of having to claim the event - which would have been compelling television that attracted an audience of tens of millions - was "inappropriate". |
| Given that last month a near-hopeless Republican candidate, Ted Cruz, announced his vice-presidential running mate just days before dropping out, it would have been fitting if the primary season had concluded with the nearly vanquished Mr Sanders in a general-election style debate with Mr Trump. | Given that last month a near-hopeless Republican candidate, Ted Cruz, announced his vice-presidential running mate just days before dropping out, it would have been fitting if the primary season had concluded with the nearly vanquished Mr Sanders in a general-election style debate with Mr Trump. |
| But it was not to be. Some ideas are just too far-fetched, even for this campaign. | But it was not to be. Some ideas are just too far-fetched, even for this campaign. |
| "As much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders - and it would be an easy payday - I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be," the Trump campaign said in a statement. | "As much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders - and it would be an easy payday - I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be," the Trump campaign said in a statement. |
| Mr Sanders told reporters on the campaign trail on Friday that he hopes Mr Trump changes his mind. | Mr Sanders told reporters on the campaign trail on Friday that he hopes Mr Trump changes his mind. |
| "Well Mr Trump, what are you afraid of?" he said, calling him a "bully". | "Well Mr Trump, what are you afraid of?" he said, calling him a "bully". |
| Mr Trump called the Democratic nominating process "rigged" and that Mrs Clinton and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Deborah Wasserman Schultz would not allow Mr Sanders to win the nomination. | Mr Trump called the Democratic nominating process "rigged" and that Mrs Clinton and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Deborah Wasserman Schultz would not allow Mr Sanders to win the nomination. |
| He has taken to calling Mr Sanders "Crazy Bernie" in the past few weeks. | He has taken to calling Mr Sanders "Crazy Bernie" in the past few weeks. |