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| Trump may not participate in the final debates. He still has coronavirus. Trump feels like he's good to campaign. |
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With the president having the coronavirus, the Presidential Debate Commission has formally decided to have the final debates held virtually. Trump called into Fox Business to talk to far-right agitator Maria Bartiromo to say he's done doing debates.
After months of saying that Joe Biden is "hiding in his basement," Trump has said he will not participate in the second presidential debate scheduled for October 15. For months, Trump called Biden, "Sleepy Joe" and said he should be "drug tested" because he performed well against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Trump's performance at the first debate was bad. He kept interrupting Biden and moderator Chris Wallace. His family refused to wear masks at the debate. He constantly changed the subject and attacked Biden's family personally. Biden refrained from attacking Trump's family and did get a meme trending: "Will you shut up man....this is so unpresidential."
Biden confirms he will participate in the final debates regardless of the changes. He said that's on Trump if he wants to participate in the debate or not. He will have the platform whereas Trump will miss an opportunity to reach out to millions of voters who may want him to fight Biden by any means necessary.
Trump who tested positive for the coronavirus last week now faces an onslaught of criticism for saying that the disease "isn't a big deal" and folks "should be afraid" of this.
We have over 250,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus. We have nearly 9 million people infected by this. Many Americans refuse to wear masks in public and have clashed with people who wear them.
The comments roiled an already contentious debate process and set off a back-and-forth between the Biden and Trump campaigns. Biden's spokeswoman swiftly said that they would have agreed to a virtual format for next Thursday's contest, but because the President had seemingly bailed, they urged the commission to make the debate scheduled on October 22 a town hall debate format.
Hours later, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said they would be willing to push the October 15 debate back a week and then move the third debate to October 29, just days before the November 3 election.
But Biden's campaign rejected their proposal, with campaign spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield saying in response, "Donald Trump doesn't make the debate schedule; the Debate Commission does."
"Trump's erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing. We look forward to participating in the final debate, scheduled for October 22, which already is tied for the latest debate date in 40 years. Donald Trump can show up, or he can decline again. That's his choice," Bedingfield said.
The move by the commission to make the next scheduled debate virtual was seen as needed by members of the debate commission given the uncertainty around the president's health.
Politically, if Trump skips a debate, he'll be deprived of a platform that he needs at a time when his campaign is trailing in every national poll and in a number of key swing states. The first event was watched by more than 73 million people.
Frank Fahrenkopf, head of the debate commission, told CNN that the commission spoke with both campaigns "just before" they announced that the second debate would be held virtually.
"We did not consult with them," he said, adding that their decision is "supported by the Cleveland Clinic," the commission's health advisers.
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| Biden will show up for the final debates and agrees with the rule changes by the debate committee. |
Bedingfield also asked the commission to push what would have been a town hall style debate -- where actual voters ask questions -- to October 22 so that "the President is not able to evade accountability."
"The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates, directly," she said.
Trump complained during the interview with Fox that a virtual debate would mean he would have to "sit behind a computer" in a virtual debate and the moderator could "cut you off whenever they want." But a virtual debate is not unprecedented -- the third contest between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960 occurred with both candidates in different locations.
Stepien, Trump's campaign manager, accused the commission on Thursday of "unilaterally canceling an in-person debate" to help Biden and said the President will be holding a rally instead of attending the debate.
Fahrenkopf noted that it was fully within the President's right to decline to debate.
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"There is no law requiring any presidential candidate to debate. In fact, in 1980, Jimmy Carter, president of the United States, refused to participate in the first debate, but he did participate in the second debate," said Fahrenkopf. "So it is up to every candidate to decide whether they want to debate or not."
The commission met on Wednesday to discuss the change. The group, made up of three co-chairs and 10 board members, voted unanimously to make the change, two members of the commission tell CNN. One member was absent and did not vote.
Thursday's announcement by the commission came hours after Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris debated in person on Wednesday night, albeit separated by plexiglass.
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