# Should Biden bother showing up for the next two debates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 30, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882 "2020-09-30T12:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/121 "2020-10-08T20:09:33Z")
Looks like Biden wants to go ahead with a solo appearance on the 15th and move the town hall to the 22nd. > **[Trump won't do next debate after it goes virtual; Biden schedules solo town...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/08/next-presidential-debate-held-remotely-due-trumps-covid-19/5920908002/)** > > ABC will now conduct a town hall next week with just Joe Biden after President Trump refused to take part in a virtual debate. > [Biden’s Deputy Campaign Manager Kate] Bedingfield fired back that Trump “doesn’t make the debate schedule” and dates had already been set. “Donald Trump can show up, or he can decline again. That’s his choice.” ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/122 "2020-10-08T20:12:40Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I do now see that they seem to have agreed to move the town hall to the 22nd > [@Skywatcher](#): > > Looks like Biden wants to go ahead with a solo appearance on the 15th and move the town hall to the 22nd. No, that’s not quite what that link says. Biden has not agreed to _moving_ the second town hall debate from the 15th to the 22nd. He is not budging on the original agreed dates for the remaining two debates. Since Trump does not want to participate in the second debate on the 15th, Biden has suggested that the third and final debate that was scheduled for the 22nd be changed in format to town hall. > The Biden campaign also called for the third and final debate, set for Nashville on Oct 22, to be changed to a town hall format. This makes much more sense to me. A town hall format is much better for Biden, Trump is not exactly strong on folksy charm. But Trump won’t agree to this, surely. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/123 "2020-10-08T20:14:11Z")
From the same article I posted above: > Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, said Biden “will find an appropriate place to take questions from voters directly” on Oct. 15 as a result of Trump backing out. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/124 "2020-10-08T20:27:44Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Biden has not agreed to _moving_ the second town hall debate from the 15th to the 22nd. He is not budging on the original agreed dates for the remaining two debates. Since Trump does not want to participate in the second debate on the 15th, Biden has suggested that the third and final debate that was scheduled for the 22nd be changed in format to town hall. Sounds like a smart strategy. If he can force Team Trump to agree to that (and they’re in a poor negotiating position, since they’re running out of time to do something to shake up a race they’re losing badly), it means just one more debate in town-hall format (which amplifies the negative effects of Trumpian shitshow antics). ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/125 "2020-10-08T20:37:31Z")
Good quote from Biden when asked what he expects will happen with the debates: “I don’t know what the president is going to do. He changes his mind every second,” Biden said. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/126 "2020-10-08T20:41:23Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > In my mind I just pictured him saying next: “Here, give me a pen and I will write out a negative test result for each day until October 15 right now so you have them ahead of time.” “pleese let Donald take part in the debate as he is very helthy and a perfect fizzical spes… spess… body. Sined Donalds mum” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/127 "2020-10-08T20:47:39Z")
Yeah, the town hall format fits Biden’s style which is why I expect Trump to push back. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882/128 "2020-10-08T22:15:25Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > “pleese let Donald take part in the debate as he is very helthy and a perfect fizzical spes… spess… body. > Sined Donalds mum” Exactly. I believe this note as much as anything coming from his actual doctors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-biden-bother-showing-up-for-the-next-two-debates/921882.md?page=6)