Biden To Hold Town Hall In Philadelphia After Trump Backs Out Of Virtual Debate
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) - The second scheduled debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat candidate Joe Biden appears to be canceled. Biden instead will hold a town hall in Philadelphia next week.
Trump balked at the Oct. 15 debate after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Thursday that it would be held virtually because he has the coronavirus.
The chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates says it is not reconsidering shifting the second debate from virtual back to in-person, despite a request from Trump's team.
After Trump pulled out of the virtual event, Biden scheduled his own ABC town hall for the same date in Philadelphia. He is expected to take questions from voters. So far, no word on what time the event will start.
Meanwhile, Trump says he wants to try and hold a campaign rally in Florida on Saturday "if we have enough time to put it together."
He also says he might also hold a campaign rally the following night in Pennsylvania.
Speaking Thursday night on Fox News Channel, Trump mentioned his desire to start holding campaign rallies again just hours after his doctor said that he fully anticipates Trump can make a "safe return to public engagements" on Saturday following his coronavirus diagnosis.
Trump is eager to return to the campaign trail and boost a campaign that is trailing in the national polls, and in most battlegrounds.
Trump says he is expecting to take another COVID-19 test on Friday. That would be one week after he flew to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a three-day hospitalization for the coronavirus.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
