Trump, Biden to have mics cut during opponent's answers in Thursday's debate
President Donald Trump (left) and former Vice President Joe Biden (right) speak during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (Photo by Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump plans to attend Thursday’s debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden despite rule changes — opposed by his campaign — that are meant to foster more ordered discussions.
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien says Trump “is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last-minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favored candidate.”
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The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that the second and final debate between the two candidates will have each nominee muted while the other delivers his two-minute remarks at the outset of each of the six debate topics. The remainder of each 15-minute block will be open discussion, without any muting, the commission said.
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The move is meant to prevent a repeat of the inaugural debate three weeks ago when the two candidates interrupted each other repeatedly.
The Biden campaign did not immediately comment on the new rule.