On Thursday, October 8, the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the second Presidential Debate, scheduled for October 15, would be held virtually "in order to protect the health and safety of all involved."
The Commission was doubtless referring to President Trump's recent positive tests for the virus. The CDC recommends that patients remain quarantined for roughly two weeks following their diagnosis, especially if, like Trump, the patient displays serious symptoms.
After the Commission announced the virtual format to their debate, however, President Trump refused to participate, telling Fox Business:
"I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate. That's not what debating is all about. You sit behind a computer and do a debate - it's ridiculous, and then they cut you off whenever they want."
The President's son, Eric, backed him up on Twitter, where he stunningly tried to paint Joe Biden as a coward because Trump pulled out of the event.
In Eric's mind, Donald Trump pulling out of a debate is a sure sign of weakness...
...from the Biden campaign.
Twitter was pretty unanimous in its disagreement with Eric's analysis.
President Trump has a long history of behavior many would find "cowardly."
Some political analysts believe Trump is unwilling to debate virtually because, in his words, "they [can] cut you off whenever they want."
Anyone who saw the President's first debate with Joe Biden will know how important interrupting and rambling are to his strategy.
Who knows if the second debate will even happen but Trump's refusal to participate isn't going to hurt Joe Biden.
It seems Eric Trump admires his father so much that even the President's political missteps seem genius. How adorably disconnected from reality!
@GavinNewsom/X
