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President Donald Trump promised not to participate in next week’s debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden after organizers announced that it will take place virtually due to the presidential diagnosis of Covid-19.
I’m not going to do a virtual debate ”with Biden, Trump told Fox News, moments after the non-partisan Presidential Debate Committee announced the changes.
The shakeup comes a week before Trump and Biden meet for the second presidential debate in Miami.
Biden’s campaign insisted that its candidate was ready to move on, but the future of the event is now in serious doubt.
“Vice President Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.
The Commission on Presidential Debates made the decision unilaterally, citing the need to “protect the health and safety of all those involved with the second presidential debate.”
When Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris met for their only vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, they shared the stage but were separated by plexiglass to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Trump campaign said the president would hold a rally instead of the debate.
“That the swamp creatures on the Presidential Debate Committee are rushing now to defend Joe Biden by unilaterally canceling an in-person debate is pathetic,” Bill Stepien, Trump’s campaign manager, said in a statement.
“The safety of everyone involved can easily be achieved without canceling the opportunity for voters to see both candidates go head-to-head. We will pass this sad excuse to rescue Joe Biden and have a rally. “
Trump was admitted to the hospital for three days, but is now back in the White House recovering.
He has promised to return to the campaign soon.
Biden’s deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement: “Vice President Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people.”
Mr Biden said earlier in the week that he was “looking forward to discussing it” but added that “we will have to follow very strict guidelines.”
He said he and Trump “shouldn’t have a debate” as long as the president remains positive for Covid-19.
The Committee on Presidential Debates announced early Thursday that the candidates would “participate from separate remote locations” while the participants and the moderator remain in Miami, he said.
Moments later, Trump promised to skip the event entirely.
Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus a week ago, but in a Tuesday tweet he said he looked forward to discussing Biden a second time: “It will be great!” tweeted.
He became ill with the virus last Thursday, just 48 hours after debating in person with Biden for the first time in Cleveland.
While the two candidates remained a dozen feet apart during the debate, Trump’s infection raised health concerns for Biden and sent him to undergo multiple Covid-19 tests before returning to the election campaign.
Trump was still carrying the virus when he was discharged Monday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but his doctors have not provided any detailed updates on his status.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19 can be contagious for up to and should be isolated for at least 10 days.
It is not the first debate in which the candidates are not in the same room.
In 1960, the third presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John F Kennedy was broadcast with the two candidates on opposite shores.
PA media
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