WASHINGTON: The Latest on the 2020 presidential campaign (all times local):
1:45 p.m.
Joe Bidens presidential campaign says the Democratic nominee tested negative Thursday for COVID-19.
Its at least the fifth time Biden has tested negative since President Donald Trump confirmed that he had contracted coronavirus.
Biden is campaigning in Arizona on Thursday. Trump remains sidelined at the White House.
The presidents illness helped cast the remaining presidential debates into doubt Thursday. The Commission on Presidential Debates said the Oct. 15 town hall debate would be virtual. Trump refused to participate and proposed pushing back that debate and the third debate originally scheduled for Oct. 22.
Bidens campaign has rejected that idea.
The commission will make the final determination and then the candidates will be left to decide whether to participate.
Biden said earlier this week there should be no in-person debates as long as Trump still has the virus.
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1:15 p.m.
Joe Biden is rejecting President Donald Trumps proposal to push back their remaining two debates in the wake of Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis, and the Democrat says it’s not up to Trump to set the schedule.
Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield says the campaign had long ago agreed to debate dates of Sept. 29, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.
Debate organizers on Thursday said next week’s event would be a virtual one due to Trump’s having COVID-19. The president immediately objected to that format, said he wouldnt take part and pressed for the candidates to meet in person. His campaign then proposed the town hall postponed by one week, to Oct. 22, and the third debate held on Oct. 29.
The Biden camp says Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar and pick new dates of his choosing.”
Bedingfield says Biden looks forward to the Oct. 22 debate, which she says is tied for the latest debate date in 40 years.
The election is Nov. 3.
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12:40 p.m.
President Donald Trumps campaign is proposing delaying the two remaining presidential debates by one week to ensure the debates can take place in-person, rather than virtually, after Trumps coronavirus diagnosis.
The Commission on Presidential Debate announced Thursday that next week’s town hall debate in Miami would be held virtually because of Trump had the virus. The president immediately objected to that format, and he said he wouldn’t take part.
Trumps campaign manager Bill Stepien says in a statement that the American people should not be deprived of the chance to see the two candidates for president debate face to face two more times before the election.
Stepien says the campaign would like to see the town hall postponed by one week, to Oct. 22, and the third debate held on Oct. 29.
Democrat Joe Bidens campaign had also asked that town hall be moved back a week so the president is not able to evade accountability.
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12 p.m.
Joe Bidens presidential campaign says because of President Donald Trumps rejection of a virtual presidential debate on Oct. 15, the Democratic challenger will hold his own town hall event the same night.
Biden spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said in a statement late Thursday morning that the Commission on Presidential Debates should reschedule the town hall debate for Oct. 22. Thats the night a third debate was to take place.
The commission earlier Thursday had announced that any Oct. 15 debate would be virtual because of Trumps recent COVID-19 diagnosis. Biden said he was willing to abide by the format change, but Trump blasted the decision and argued without evidence that the commission was trying to help Biden.
Bedingfield said in her statement that Trump is trying to evade accountability by avoiding facing voters directly.
The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates, directly, she said. Every presidential candidate since 1992 has participated in such an event, and it would be a shame if Donald Trump was the first to refuse.
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8:10 a.m.
President Donald Trump, who has the coronavirus, says he will not participate in next weeks presidential debate if its held virtually.
Trump says in a Fox Business interview that that arrangement is not acceptable to us.
And hes accusing moderators of trying to protect his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates had announced moments earlier that the second debate between Trump and Biden will take place virtually because of the presidents diagnosis of COVID-19.
The commission cited a need to protect the health and safety of all involved with the second presidential debate and said the candidates would participate from separate remote locations while the participants and moderator remain in Miami.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
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