After announcing that the Second Presidential Debate would be performed virtually, with Trump, and Biden each participating remotely, the decision of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has become the subject of controversy for many, particularly President Trump himself.
On October 8th, the day after the Vice Presidential Debate, the CPD announced that the Second Presidential Debate would be held remotely "in order to protect the health and safety of all involved" in light of Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis.
This change of plan comes only a week before the debate would be held in Miami, Florida. In response to this sudden change in plan, Trump told Fox News Business, “I’m not going to waste my time with a virtual debate. That’s not what debating is all about. You sit behind a computer and do a debate, that is ridiculous.”
As for the formal statement from the Trump campaign, Campaign Manager Bill Stepien announced that the Trump campaign would hold a rally rather than participate in the debate and expressing his distain for the sudden switch in format:
For the swamp creatures at the Presidential Debate Commission to now rush to Joe Biden’s defense by unilaterally canceling an in-person debate is pathetic...The safety of all involved can easily be achieved without canceling a chance for voters to see both candidates go head to head. We’ll pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead.
Despite Trump expressing his enthusiasm for the second debate prior to the announcement of it being virtual, leftists have taken to accusing Trump of cowardice, claiming that, although Biden was unwilling to debate Trump while he was still COVID positive, he would be willing to participate in the debate remotely.
H/T AP News