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Organizers cancel Oct 15 US presidential debate after Trump balked

Saturday, 10 October 2020 4:53 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 10 October 2020 8:33 AM ]

This combination of file pictures created on September 29, 2020 shows US President Donald Trump (L) and Democratic Presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden squaring off during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. (AFP photo)

The US Commission on Presidential Debates has cancelled the second showdown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden after the president declined to do a virtual debate.

"Each (candidate) now has announced alternate plans for that date," the commission said in a statement on Friday. "It is now apparent there will be no debate on October 15."

The commission announced on Thursday that it was converting the town hall debate to a virtual affair out of an abundance of caution because Trump had tested positive for Covid-19.

However, Trump refused to participate, saying he is not going to waste his “time on a virtual debate.”

The second debate was initially scheduled to be held in person next Thursday in Miami.

The commission is to host three debates between Trump and Biden and one vice presidential debate between the two nominees’ running mates.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Biden said he would follow the recommendations of the debate commission, adding that he did not know what action he would take if Trump refused to take part.

Trump’s campaign on Friday accused the commission “biased” toward Biden.

“There is no medical reason to stop the October 15 debate in Miami from proceeding as scheduled, since the President will be healthy and ready to debate,” Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said.

The final debate is scheduled for October 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

In the middle of the night on Thursday, October 1, Trump announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and a day after was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. However, he left the hospital on Monday and went back to the White House, where he is expected to continue his recovery.

Landing at the White House on Marine One, Trump removed his face mask and declared he feels great.

Trump says will resume campaign rallies on Saturday despite COVID-19 infection

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Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said, however, “You are not out of it until you have gone several days out and [are] doing well.”

Trump had repeatedly disagreed with Fauci on COVID-19, including social-distancing guidelines and masks wearing, calling the doctor as “a little bit of an alarmist.”

Trump is now under criticism for endangering his staffer in the White House, where 14 officials have so far been diagnosed with the viral infection.

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