Just a few hours from now, President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will take the stage for the first of three scheduled presidential debates between the two.
While Trump has in recent weeks openly called for “Sleepy Joe” Biden to have a drug test in advance of tonight’s debate, we’re learning today of some the behind-the-scenes negotiations that have gone on between the two campaigns:
Fox News has learned that the president’s re-election campaign wants the Biden campaign to allow a third party to inspect the ears of each debater for electronic devices or transmitters. The president has consented to this kind of inspection, but Biden has not, so far, sources said.Over the last several weeks, the former vice president’s campaign has also requested two breaks — one every 30 minutes — to break up the 90-minute commercial-free program. But that request has been denied by their Trump counterparts, Fox News is told.
Regarding the Biden campaign’s request for two breaks, Bret Baier noted this morning in an exchange with Bill Hemmer that the issue of breaks was not actually up to either campaign to say yay or nay to. Baier also made the following observation:
“The debate commission has always said that it’s 90 minutes straight through, and that’s how they plan for it, and that’s what they told the networks and that’s what we’re planning for as far as our coverage.”
Watch:
Obviously, the demand that will get the most attention in the media today is the one about checking for ear devices. Some “journalists” are already grumbling about it, including CNN White House correspondent John Harwood:
Apparently, Harwood is either completely unaware of or finds irrelevant the fact that Biden has been caught numerous times using teleprompters during what were supposed to be unscripted interviews with reporters.
The left-wing hacks at Media Matters were also triggered by the news of the Trump campaign wanting ears checked:
MMFA “director of media intelligence” (seriously) Lis Power was especially incensed, laughably attempting a facial expression read of both Hemmer and Baier to determine what they were allegedly trying to imply:
While we don’t know as of this writing what the Biden campaign’s response will be to the ear inspection request, there are some alternative suggestions being thrown around on Twitter for how the Trump campaign should handle the (potential) issue in their own way:
I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if he did just that.
Tonight’s debate will be at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and starts at 9 pm ET. It will be moderated by Fox News host Chris Wallace.
UPDATE:
A source told the New York Post the Biden campaign had originally agreed to the earpiece check “several days ago” but have now backtracked:
Next thing you know Biden’s team will call yet another mysterious “lid” shortly before the debate is scheduled to start.
Stay tuned!
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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