The Commission on Presidential Debates announced this morning that the second debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will take virtually in separate locations because of the president Covid-19 infection:
The Commission on Presidential Debates announces the second debate between President Trump and Joe Biden will be virtual "in the form of a town meeting, in which the candidates would participate from separate remote locations."
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 8, 2020
And the president won’t be part of it:
“I’m not gonna do a virtual debate,” Trump said on Fox Business just now.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 8, 2020
He added:
Trump says he doesn’t like idea of virtual debate because “they cut you off whenever they want.”
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 8, 2020
A virtual format would benefit the elderly Dem, that’s for sure:
. @JoeBiden needs to use notes to answer questions. He wants a virtual debate so he can read answers written by staff.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) October 8, 2020
Of course, things could change at any moment:
Let’s see if the debates are really over. Trump could change his mind. So could the commission in some form..
— Matthew Cooper (@mattizcoop) October 8, 2020
Watch:
"I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate" — Trump, on with Maria Bartiromo, begins his first post-coronavirus interview by saying he's pulling out of the second debate. (He sounds a little hoarse.) pic.twitter.com/R43JSszfll
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 8, 2020
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who also tested positive for Covid-19, said in a statement that they’ll “do a rally instead”:
“We’ll pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead,” Trump campaign manager @BillStepien says in a statement.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) October 8, 2020
Full statement:
Campaign manager says Trump would have posted several negative tests by debate time (which isn’t possible to know right now) and that they’ll do a rally instead. pic.twitter.com/bctppZft9H
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 8, 2020
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