Biden Says He'll Be at Next Debate Whether or Not Trump Shows Up

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Thursday that he'll be at the next debate whether President Donald Trump shows up or not.

iden’s campaign rejected a proposal from Donald Trump’s camp to push back the second and third presidential debates by a week after the president ruled out participating in a virtual event.

“Trump chose today to pull out of the October 15th debate,” Kate Bedingfield, Biden deputy campaign manager, said in a statement. “Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing.”

Bedingfield said the Biden campaign looked forward to participating in the already scheduled final debate on Oct. 22. ABC News later announced that it would host a town hall just with Biden hosted by George Stephanopoulos in Philadelphia on Oct. 15.

Biden’s campaign had earlier Thursday proposed shifting the second debate, a town hall-style format, to Oct. 22, to accommodate Trump’s recovery from Covid-19, and making that the final debate.

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced early Thursday that the Oct. 15 town hall-style forum in Miami, the second of three presidential debates, would be conducted with the participants appearing from remote locations. Trump immediately rejected the idea.

“No I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate,” Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox Business Thursday. “That’s not what debating’s about.”

He said he would hold a rally instead.

The decision was made “in order to protect the health and safety of all involved,” the commission said in a statement.

Both campaigns said the commission acted unilaterally, without consulting them. Biden’s campaign said he had been prepared to accept the virtual format before Trump’s refusal. Biden now plans to find an “appropriate place” to take voter questions instead of the debate, and urged the commission to move the town hall to Oct. 22 -- the scheduled date for the third and final debate -- “so the President is not able to evade accountability,” the campaign said in a statement.

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[tineve]

AMERICA!!!! A FUTURE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN.

[hajjipowell]

THIS WHOLE THING IS A COMPLETE MESS ANYWAYS.😷

[Ancientreapers]

Biden you also agreed to a few things for the debates only to back out of them at the last minute. Like being checked for wires.

[jackroberts]

Doctors say Trump should be clear for an in person debate. I thought we were supposed to listen to doctors.

[AndyMc]

Debating yourself could be risky Joe, hahahahahahh bah hahahahahah.

[carmenpeters]

Good move. Then he won't be interrupted.

[leonestello]

Yes! You go Biden! And with Harris ias your VP I'm excited she's coming up.

[MargueriteFairProductions]

I think he is foolish to agree to meet with him in person under the circumstances. I wouldn't.

[fo]

And put trump in jail for compromising the safety of the United States Of America for Negligence and creating conflicts between the American people.

[messitheking]

Will Trump go back on his statement and have Biden all that screen time to himself. Or will he show up.. Hard to say

[SC-uqjf]

Good. Hopefully trump keeps his word for once and does NOT show up for the second debate. This way Biden can speak about his Agenda for a POST-trump administration WITHOUT INTERRUPTION and the CONSTANT Spewing of LIES from trump like a rabid Orange Chimp. We Americans get to hear Joe Biden's plans for 2021 and beyond.

[joshsmit]

So are you going to pack the court or not, Joe? Still haven't heard you or your VP say anything about it. Are you in favor of the Green New Deal or not? That's the kind of bullshit that got me to vote libertarian. You and Trump just don't deserve my vote. Thanks for reminding me.
#JoJorgensen2020

[jimbrown]

joe will be at the one with joe rogan? right!

[whimsicallyrosie]

he will be there with his teleprompter lol

[JC-zmjg]

Where in your moms basement?? Have a face to face debate so the country can see the real sleepy joe. We the people/citizens of this country will re-elect President Trump again in November no matter what you try and lie about. MAGA 2020🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍👍👍👍

[Picasso_]

Gallup, Inc. is an American analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C. Founded by George Gallup in 1935, the company became known for its public opinion polls conducted worldwide.

Most Say They Are Better Off Now Than Four Years Ago (October 7, 2020 Gallup Poll)

During his presidential campaign in 1980, Ronald Reagan asked Americans, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" Since then, this question has served as a key standard that sitting presidents running for reelection have been held to.

Gallup's most recent survey found a clear majority of registered voters (56%) saying they are better off now than they were four years ago, while 32% said they are worse off.
This poll was one of only 3 that predicted Trumps victory in 2016.

[justsaynotonwo]

My thanks to "Kylindi Iyi"💗👨🏿‍🚀🍄

[lisathe]

Debate without cognitive assistance Joe and President Trump will show up. That means No Virtual Debate.

[lucidclanyt]

Trump just doesn’t want a virtual debate that’s doesn’t do anything at all. That’s stupid. Why can’t they just do a normal town hall?

[joefox]

Just goes to show you what a quack this guy is