President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants the next debate against his Democratic challenger Joe Biden to go ahead despite his bout of coronavirus.
“I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!” Trump tweeted.
The debate, which will be in a town hall format with audience members putting questions to the candidates, has been thrown into doubt after Trump’s hospitalization last Friday with the coronavirus.
He was discharged Monday and declared himself on Tuesday via Twitter to be “FEELING GREAT!”
FEELING GREAT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020
If Trump’s health does hold up and the debate goes ahead it will mark one of the last set-piece events before the November 3 election where Trump has a chance to try and turn around his seeming slide to defeat.
Polls consistently show him behind Biden and their first debate on September 29, which immediately descended into an ugly shouting match, shows no sign of having improved Trump’s standing with voters.
A third and final debate is scheduled for October 22 in Nashville.
On Wednesday, Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence hold their sole debate in Utah.
Pence has tested negative for coronavirus, but given Trump’s illness and a widespread outbreak in the White House, they will be separated by a plexiglass barrier.
