Biden - news: Campaigns in deadlock as Trump’s ‘erratic behaviour’ leaves debates in doubt
Follow the latest updates
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Joe Biden blasted Donald Trump after the president refused to take part in their second debate when it emerged it would take place remotely.
Trump railed during a Fox Business interview the new format was “not acceptable” and the challenger dismissing him for “always changing his mind”.
The campaigns are deadlocked on making alternate plans for a debate, with Biden to hold a solo town hall on 15 October while the president holds a campaign rally.
BIden’s running mate Kamala Harris was widely believed to have won last night’s vice presidential debate over Mike Pence, with the Democrat polling 21 percentage points ahead of the Republican in a snap survey conducted by CNN.
The California senator attacked the Trump administration on an array of issues, saying its leaders “don’t believe in science” or the “existential threat” posed by the climate crisis and denouncing its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country”.
Appearing together in Arizona on Thursday, the pair again refused to answer whether they would pack the Supreme Court. Both refused to answer the question during their debates, and Biden said today that he wouldn't give an answer until after the election.
Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
Frank Luntz called it – Kamala Harris’ debate facial expressions became a thing
For better or worse, Kamala Harris’ facial expressions after the VP debate against Mike Pence went viral.
In the immediate aftermath of the election, pollster Frank Luntz said “if the press is fair, they will compile a video of Kamala’s facial expressions from tonight”.
He said undecided voters found her expressions “condescending”, but reactions on Thursday leaned toward whichever side of the political aisle was looking.
It’s the Rorschach test 2020 deserves.
Undecided voters thought Pence won VP debate against Harris, according to veteran pollster Frank Luntz
According to veteran pollster Frank Luntz, his group of undecided voters thought both sides ducked questions but that Pence won on “presidential” facial expressions and found Harris “condescending”.
“If the press is fair, they will compile a video of Kamala’s facial expressions from tonight,” he said.
“I might get cancelled for this but my undecided focus group doesn’t like how Kamala Harris interacts with her opponent. We saw this in the Dem debates, she is applauded for her knowledge but they just don’t like her condescending reactions.”
See what they had to say below:
Trump campaign agrees debate back on if moved to 22 October
Campaign spox Bill Stepien issued a new statement they would agree to delay the second debate by a week so it can happen in person, after the Biden campaign suggested the delay a short while earlier.
“We agree that this should happen on October 22, and accordingly the third debate should then be shifted back on week to October 29,” he said in the statement.
Biden camps calls for debate to move back a week so Trump joins
The Biden campaign called on the debate commission to move the town hall back a week to 22 October so Donald Trump “is not able to evade accountability”.
“The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates directly,” said Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield in a statement.
Every presidential candidate since 1992 has participated in such an event, and it would be a shame if Donald Trump was the first to refuse.”
Hillary Clinton congratulates Kamala Harris
In-case anyone was wondering who Clinton thought won the debate.
Laura Ingraham warns Joe Biden wants to turn the US into Wales
The Fox host is alarmed by the idea of “rolling lockdowns” under a future Biden administration like those seen in Cardiff, rather than rugby, daffodils and male voice choirs, but still…
Andrew Naughtie is here to explain.
Fox News host warns that under Biden, US will become like Wales
Laura Ingraham has previously told audience that Joe Biden will put Americans’ lives and constitutional rights on hold
Where Biden really stands on fracking
Mike Pence claimed - wrongly - in Utah last night that the Democratic candidate plans to do away with hydraulic fracturing jobs as part of an uncompromising push towards green energy.
Gino Spocchia has this look at what the candidate has really had to say on the subject.
Pence repeatedly claimed Biden wants to ban fracking — but he’s never said that
Former VP has not proposed nationwide ban on shale gas drilling, despite claims
Biden hits back after Trump refuses to take part in virtual debate
Early the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that its second face-off between the candidates would have to take place remotely given Trump’s positive diagnosis.
The president happened to be giving an interview to Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business shortly after and told her that he would not “waste his time” with such a format and said it was "not acceptable" and “ridiculous” for him to have to “sit at a computer”.
His campaign subsequently announced he would be staging a rally instead.
Uh oh.
Biden responded to Trump's claims while talking to reporters in Delaware.
"We don't know what the president is going to do, he changes his mind every second so for me to comment on that now would be irresponsible," Biden said. "I'm going to follow the commission recommendations."
Trump also suggested darkly that his rival might not survive more than two months in the Oval Office and referred to Kamala Harris as “unlikeable”, a “communist” and a “monster” but Biden wisely chose to rise above such petty name-calling.
Here’s John T Bennett on the president’s refusal to play ball.
Trump refuses to take part in virtual debate with Biden
‘They’re trying to protect Biden,' president said even though he has coronavirus and could be contagious
Europe overwhelming backs Biden presidency
Kamala Harris offered this frank assessment last night of the US’s fall from grace on the world stage under Trump…
…which is borne out this morning by the following survey from YouGov asking European nation who they want to win next month’s election.
Brutal reading for The Donald.
'Fracking is bad, actually'
The aforementioned AOC, who played a key role in conceiving the Democrats’ ambitious Green New Deal proposal, did not agree with everything Kamala Harris had to say last night, taking exception to her swift rejection of a fracking ban.
Harris did so in the belief that energy jobs are an all-important election issue in battlegrounds states like Pennsylvania but Ocasio-Cortez is thinking of the longer term implications of an natural gas extraction practice unquestionnably harmful to the environment.
Gino Spocchia has this report.
AOC responds to Kamala Harris insisting Biden won't ban fracking
The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments