In a victory for civil discourse and public health, the Commission on Presidential Debates has canceled the second Biden–Trump TV show that was scheduled for Thursday, October 15, in Miami:
“On October 8, CPD announced that for the health and safety of all involved, the second presidential debate, scheduled for October 15 in Miami, would be conducted virtually,” the commission said in a statement Friday.
“Subsequently, the campaigns of the two candidates who qualified for participation in the debate made a series of statements concerning their respective positions regarding their willingness to participate in a virtual debate on October 15, and each now has announced alternate plans for that date.
“It is now apparent there will be no debate on October 15,” the commission said [Alana Wise, “Thursday’s Presidential Debate Canceled After Spat over Coronavirus Safety Concerns,” NPR, 2020.10.09].
The first Presidential debate was neither Presidential nor a debate. It was one ignorant boor constantly shouting over a civilized candidate trying to explain his plans to serve the public and a journalist trying to ask questions and enforce order. That first Biden–Trump event told us all we need to know about the two men running for President: Joe Biden will work for us, while Donald Trump will continue to work for no one but himself. We don’t need another Trump bully show to understand that fundamental difference and cast an informed vote.
Canceling the second Biden-Trump show also protects the health of the Bidens and the public. The Trump family demonstrated their disregard for basic health rules at the first debate, refusing to wear masks in the audience despite the rules of the event. Donald and Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus two days later. Right after returning from the hospital Monday, still infected, Trump made a show of ripping off his mask and encouraging the entire nation to follow his toxically masculine example. Biden has said he wouldn’t appear on stage with Trump if Trump was still coronavirus-positive… and now the White House refuses to tell us whether Trump is still testing positive or even when he was last tested. Trump is inviting 2,000 people to pack the White House lawn for a Mussolini-style balcony speech this afternoon. He’s holding an in-person campaign event in Florida Monday, all within the two weeks anyone who tests positive for coroanvirus should be spending in quarantine. Even in normal times, I’d consider it unsafe for myself and certainly for any of my female loved ones to be in the same room as Trump. Now it would be outright irresponsible or personal and public health to enter any enclosed space with Donald Trump, just two weeks after he was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Putting Trump on a stage with Biden would only give the Bully-in-Chief another opportunity to model his bad behavior for all of America’s youth. It might also give Trump the only chance he has left of beating Joe Biden: infecting him with coronavirus.
Trump and his circle of reckless infectors are a menace to our health—physical, intellectual, and emotional. He’s not worth our air time, and, Joe, he’s not worth yours. Stay away from Trump.
Debates appear to sway undecideds for Biden and cement for Biden those Republicans who prefer conservatism to totalitarianism. Debates, especially with Trump foaming at the mouth, seem to be good for Biden’s electoral victory. Not good, though, is risking the next President’s health with a still infected President.
Don said that “… you sit behind a computer and they can cut you off ….”
He probably doesn’t know how to operate one.
If they have another one of these farces, there needs to be red and green lights for “mike on, mike off.”
Much better to use the red lights to end the time and a “shot collar” that is used to train dogs. If you go past your time or over talk your opponent,hit the button.
Madam Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are working on a bill to create the Commission on Presidential Capacity. It’s just what you think it is.
Pelosi says it is to work with amendment 25 and will not affect Lying Lunatic. She’s happy to let us voters decide to trash him.
Since there’s little to no chance of this becoming law, the consensus is that she’s just trolling him, driving him a little crazier. 🤣 🤣 🤣
From Axios
is.gd/95f4K9
The debate commission had an ideal solution to both of the main issues, separation and supervision. It was very uncharacteristic of trump to not take advantage of free TV coverage, he clearly knows he would not stand a chance of winning a proper debate, his style is to not allow his opponent to make a point without interruption.
trump is desperate and becoming more dangerous every day, pimpeo would not bat an eye at conjuring up some bogus excuse to drag us into conflict with Iran, North Korea,or Syria. The whole bag of dirty tricks is on the table pandering, strong arming, calling out the proud boys and other fine people.
This stinking fascist needs to be defeated at the polls and removed via the 25th amendment or impeached to stop the insanity. Lying Donald Trump Lock Him Up!
Buckobear, Cibvet, the prospect of a moderator armed with an effective cutoff switch would be an excellent reason to hold any subsequent debate online.
At high school debate tournaments, judges usually use timers with loud beepers or just call out, “Time!” High school debaters almost invariably wrap up right then and there, knowing judges will not flow any statements made outside the time limit.
Mike- i agree with everything you said. The damage we will allow him and the GOP to wreak before 1.20.21 will be horrendous.
Mike, you’re right. Trump has never been able to win in a controlled setting with rules and expectations of civil behavior. He can only win when people turnoff their discernment and conscience and follow their worst impulses… which he thus fans relentlessly.
While it is understandable to look to the debate moderators for a solution, such as turning Trump’s mike off when he interrupts, speaks out of turn, or drones on after his time is up, we still have that old backup on our home TV remotes – the mute button.
We need to have young Ms. Jorgensen in these debates. She will school those two old rude bossturds. Vote for Jo, not the sleepy alt-left or the insaner and ruder right.
Amazing politicians speaks of deficit and debt, must think the presidency and the senate lost.The Titanic is sinking and their bailing ship and trying to find themselves. thank your leader who you failed to stand up to.Amazing these three could have stood up and done more to represent South Dakota.
Don’t know what anyone expects to hear from the wingnuts you weren’t already aware of. You knew, or should have known, drumpf marches to the beat of his own whims and can’t answer a simple question and never provides evidence of any of his accusations. It is always some people say or they said this or many people tell me bulloney.
Why subject yourselves to excess torture?
For as much as the fascist grifter claims to hate the fake news he is hopelessly addicted to media and most play right into his hand. I believe that he strings the media along deliberately to get more attention. He is finding out that it is more challenging now that many more people are growing weary of riding on the merry go round of deceit, distract, insult, slander, rinse and repeat.
Let’s kick the lying SOB to the curb, strike while the iron is hot vote early and let us do our duty and encourage others to do the same. I hope that we can keep the peace and get through this process without violence. Please support this publication as well as PBS and NPR.
If there was a real negative C-19 test result, Infectious Infant would bleat it all around the world. That’s how we know he’s still positive for the virus.
The pull of his cult is so strong that some Floridians will attend his event, the virus will be spread and some people will die. Who needs Jim Jones’ kool-aid when they’ve got C-19?
He’s the billionaire brat from the penthouse suite. He has elbowed his way past the rest of us, to get to the front of the line, his whole life. It should surprise no-one that he would flout the rules in a debate.
He is smarter than the generals. He says medical experts are “wrong”. And taxes, of course, are for the little people.
Cory, ‘canceled’ has two ‘l’s. Wow, I feel so cool I’m able to up Cory on one! ;)
I don’t know about my fellow DFPers, but I’m paranoid as hell Trump will win this thing. Biden’s state poll percentages are actually lower than Hillary’s in 2016 in the rust belt states. Then with absentee ballot voting, I don’t trust Trump and the pubs at AT ALL.Several states have already sued him for discrepancies. I don’t expect we’ll know the results for several weeks possibly months. Trump does not want to leave his covid-infested White House. This thing isn’t over at all for Trump. He’s just getting started.
Canceled or cancelled is the past tense of the verb to cancel. Both spellings are correct; Americans favor canceled (one L), while cancelled (two Ls) is preferred in British English and other dialects. However, there is only one correct spelling of the word cancellation, no matter where you are.
Sorry, Jenny.
Let’s hope the Commission for Presidential Debates continues pulling its collective head out of their 4th point of contact by cancelling the last debate. The Commission needs to sorely update the format, rules, and adult supervision of the debaters, their staffs, and eliminate disruptive audiences. What began as a noble enterprise must adapt to rank partisanship and childish behavior.
And, my gawd, the nearly irrelevant parties BETTER LEARN from their abhorrent non-debates which saw several candidates have 2x to 5x the speaking and response times as did better candidates. Panels of candidates does not mean there should be panels of moderators. One moderator is enough.