UPDATE 8 P.M. THURSDAY:
Steve Scully will be placed on administrative leave — immediately — after falsely stating his Twitter account had been hacked.
That’s according to a news release by C-SPAN earlier today. Scully was set to moderate the second presidential debate prior to its cancellation.
In the release, Scully stated he had been the subject of criticism from social media, conservative news outlets and President Donald Trump.
“Out of frustration, I sent a brief tweet addressed to Anthony Scaramucci,” Scully said in the news release. “The next morning when I saw that this tweet had created a new controversy, I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked.”
The news release states Scully approached C-SPAN and the Commission on Presidential Debates that he had not in fact been hacked.
C-SPAN chose to place Scully on administrative leave but “after some distance from this episode, we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN.”
Both candidates will host independent town halls and are expected to be in attendance for next Thursday’s debate.
President Donald Trump and Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden will not face off virtually tThursday after days of disagreement between the candidates’ campaign teams.
That’s according to a news release by the Commission on Presidential Debates posted last Friday announcing the cancellation of the debate.
A news release by Trump 2020 Communications Director Tim Murtaugh stated there was no medical reason to cancel the debates as the president was health and ready.
In a news release by Biden for President Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, she states they look forward to participating in the final debate.
“Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar and pick new dates of his choosing,” the news release states. “We look forward to participating in the final debate, scheduled for October 22, which already is tied for the latest debate date in 40 years. Donald Trump can show up, or he can decline again. That’s his choice.”
Associate Professor of Political Science Natasha Alteema-McNeely explains how the president’s domination-style debate strategy would not have worked in a virtual format with a moderator who has the ability to mute.
“Especially if they’re using a program where you can actually mute someone, right, and so I think he realized I think his initial reaction is based sort of on those considerations,” Alteema-McNeely said.
The CPD had previously announced the second presidential debate would be virtual citing health and safety after Trump tweeted on Oct. 1 that he and first lady Melania Trump had contracted COVID-19.
Vice President of RGV College Republicans Jose Vega said how president Trump’s absence could affect undecided voters.
“A lot of those voters who didn’t have an idea who was the best bet and since there would be no debate, they wouldn’t get to know who’s who or understand their policies so they might end up voting for the third part more this year,” Vega said.
In a news release last Thursday, Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Bill Stepien stated the campaign instead planned to host a rally.
Vice president of the college Democrats Yartiza Marin says the rally only speaks to a specific demographic and that the president should rather answer to why the he deserves another term.
“It’s all the other Americans who are wondering why they’ve lost their jobs, why they’re losing their homes, why the economy is this way, why his response to COVID has been the way it is and in some sense, he does have that responsibility to show up,” Marin said.
The third Presidential Debate is scheduled for Oct. 29 will remain planned and both candidates have stated they would be in attendance.
FOR VAQUERO NEWS, I’M JUSTIN ELIZALDE.
