WASHINGTON — Hours after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the second presidential debate would be virtual, both candidates have said they will not be participating.
President Donald Trump was the first to announce he would not be participating, with campaign manager Bill Stephien later calling the change “a sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden.”
“President Trump will have posted multiple negative tests prior to the debate, so there is no need for this unilateral declaration. The safety of all involved can easily be achieved without canceling a chance for voters to see both candidates go head to head.”
The campaign said they were looking at holding some sort of event instead, but didn’t provide any details on what that may look like.
CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe was told Biden also decided to opt out of the event. He plans to host a Q&A of some sort on October 15.
Debate organizers announced Thursday that the debate would be virtual because of Trump’s diagnosis of COVID-19.
The Commission on Presidential Debates made the announcement a week before Trump and Biden were scheduled to face off in Miami. It said the candidates will “participate from separate remote locations,” while the participants and moderator remain in Miami.
Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus a week ago and said he looked forward to debating Biden on stage in Miami.