by Penka Arsova
LaCorte News
President Trump says that he will not take part in the second presidential debate if the event is virtual.
The announcement: The Commission on Presidential Debates on Thursday said that the presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden will take place on Oct. 15 and will be virtual.
“The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which the candidates would participate from separate remote locations,” the CPD said in a statement. “The town meeting participants and the moderator, Steve Scully, Senior Executive Producer & Political Editor, C-SPAN Networks, will be located at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami, Florida. The White House Pool will provide coverage of the second presidential debate.”
Why the change? The decision to make the debate virtual was likely made in response to the president’s COVID-19 diagnosis as the first presidential debate was held in-person. It’s worth noting that the announcement came after Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) debated in person on Wednesday, albeit separated by plexiglass.