Report: Biden Reneges, Now Won't Submit to Search for Earpiece Before Debate
Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh confirmed a report that the Biden campaign had agreed to an earpiece inspection prior to Tuesday night’s debate but is now declining to submit to one.
New York Post reporter Ebony Bowden tweeted on Tuesday, “NEW: Joe Biden’s campaign agreed to an inspection for electronic ear pieces at tonight’s debate several days ago but are now declining, a source familiar tells me.”
Can confirm. https://t.co/TDG51c6b10
— Tim Murtaugh – Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) September 29, 2020
“Can confirm,” Murtaugh replied.
Shortly thereafter, he tweeted a statement.
“Joe Biden’s handlers several days ago agreed to a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces but today abruptly reversed themselves and declined,” Murtaugh said.
Joe Biden’s handlers several days ago agreed to a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces but today abruptly reversed themselves & declined. Biden asked for multiple breaks during the debate, which President Trump doesn’t need, so we have rejected that request.
Statement: pic.twitter.com/yIXd0TVWgi
— Tim Murtaugh – Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) September 29, 2020
“Biden’s handlers have asked for multiple breaks during the debate, which President Trump doesn’t need, so we have rejected that request,” he added.
The debate is slated to last 90 minutes, with no commercial breaks.
“On top of the refusal to take a drug test, it seems pretty obvious that the Biden team is looking for any safety net they can find in the hours leading up to the debate. With his 47 years as a failed Washington politician, how much help does Biden want?” Murtaugh added.
He dismissed Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield’s claim that the Trump team requested debate moderator Chris Wallace not mention that more than 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.
“This is a lie and it never happened,” Murtaugh tweeted. “This is the height of playing politics with a public health crisis. Biden is trying to distract from the facts that he won’t submit to an inspection for earpieces, won’t take a drug test, and needs multiple breaks during the 90-minute debate.”
This is a lie and it never happened. This is the height of playing politics with a public health crisis. Biden is trying to distract from the facts that he won’t submit to an inspection for earpieces, won’t take a drug test, and needs multiple breaks during the 90-minute debate. https://t.co/94MvUnJAtP
— Tim Murtaugh – Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) September 29, 2020
Politico’s Christopher Cadelago tweeted that Bedingfield “confirmed” the request regarding COVID-19 happened.
“See how easy that was to try to throw up a distraction. It is pathetic. It is weak. And once again the Trump campaign is lying and they are going to process,” she reportedly said.
“You can consider that confirmed from the Biden campaign,” @KBeds says. “See how easy that was to try to throw up a distraction. It is pathetic. It is weak. And once again the Trump campaign is lying and they are going to process.”
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) September 29, 2020
In a call with reporters, Bedingfield described the Trump campaign’s desire for an earpiece inspection as “absurd,” according to Fox News.
“His staff seems concerned that he may not do well tonight and they’re already laying the groundwork for how they’re going to lie about why,” she said. “It is completely absurd. Of course, he’s not wearing an earpiece and we never asked for breaks.”
The Trump campaign’s assertion that Biden is now declining an earpiece inspection seems far more credible than Bedingfield’s claim that the Trump team asked Wallace not to mention the 200,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Is it even conceivable Wallace wouldn’t mention the impact the virus has had on the U.S. without stating the number of people who have died?
An earpiece inspection is an appropriate request, particularly given Biden’s history of significant gaffes, questions regarding his fitness to serve and his apparent overreliance on the teleprompter.
This debate is likely to be one of the most watched events in American political campaign history, and voters deserve to see how both candidates perform while relying on their own faculties.
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