The CPD Adds New Rules For Vice Presidential Debate Between Mike Pence And Kamala Harris
The CPD (Commission on Presidential Debates) on Monday announced that Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris will be separated using plexiglass at Wednesday’s debate. This move comes as the White House continues to be gripped by a coronavirus outbreak.
In collaboration with the medical consultants at the Cleveland Clinic, the commission made the decision earlier this week considering the airborne nature of the coronavirus, and the growing numbers of positive cases in the White House. Despite an alarming number of positive coronavirus tests at the White House, and that Pence was present at the Rose Garden event weeks ago that is seen as the source of the spread among several Trump aides and allies, the vice president has not tested positive, and the debate will not be canceled.
The change to Wednesday's debate represents how the coronavirus outbreak inside Trump's administration has changed the concluding month of the presidential campaign. Pence's team, however, mocked and took jabs at the commission for enhancing safety measures at Wednesday's debate.
"If Sen. Harris wants to use a fortress around her, have at it," Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller said. Miller herself tested positive for COVID-19 in May.
Furthermore, the president's own coronavirus diagnosis has forced organizers of the impending presidential debates to reconsider future contests between Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, sources familiar with the situation told CNN. Some organizers are pushing for holding a virtual debate between the two leaders.
The commission, however, is currently focused only on Wednesday's debate between the vice president and Harris in Salt Lake City. Multiple sources suggest the future of presidential contests between Trump and the former veep are up in the air, with a person familiar with the planning telling CNN that the commission's decision will be based on Trump's health.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said the president is willing to debate on Oct. 15. A Biden aide said the campaign trusts the commission and the Cleveland Clinic to ensure the utmost safety at these debates. The campaign intends to debate Trump, provided the medical experts confirm it can be done safely.
The debate commission is open to considering moving the in-person debates to a virtual forum, allowing the two leaders to appear from remote locations. A commission member who didn't want to be named told CNN that the commission is open to virtual operations of the presidential debates.