Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s microphones will be cut when they do not have the floor, during their debate on Thursday, to avoid the cacophony that reigned during the first face-to-face between the two presidential candidates in September .
According to the American commission responsible for these debates, the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, like the outgoing Republican president, Donald Trump, will have two minutes to answer the questions of the moderator of the debate, and during this speaking time, the microphone of the one supposed listen will be cut. Once both candidates have used these two minutes, an open discussion will then be possible, this time with both microphones open.
“It is the wish of the commission that the candidates be respectful of their respective speaking time, which will advance the public debate for the benefit of the spectators”, indicated the commission in a press release.
“Partial commission”
But Donald Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien reacted strongly to this decision. “President Trump is eager to debate Joe Biden, whatever last-minute changes decided by a biased committee, in a last-ditch attempt to provide an advantage to his favorite candidate,” he said in a statement.
According to Bill Stepien, President Trump intends to discuss the affairs of Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, as he now does regularly, two weeks before the election. “If the media don’t ask Joe Biden these questions, the president will, and there will be no escape for Biden,” said Bill Stepien.
During their first debate in September, Donald Trump interrupted his Democratic rival 71 times, the latter only interrupting him 22 times, according to the Axios news site.
The two candidates were due to debate again last Thursday, but the committee had imposed a virtual debate after the president tested positive for the coronavirus, a format immediately rejected by Donald Trump. The two men then held separate meetings broadcast on television channels. The debate scheduled for Thursday will be the last between the two men before the election on November 3.
Original article by : www.leparisien.fr
