President Trump’s campaign is attacking the credibility of the Commission on Presidential Debates, claiming the group that organizes the events and selects moderators is rooting for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
In a conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien listed the names of some members of the board of directors of the Commission on Presidential Debates, along with information about their past political contributions and statements that suggest hostility to the president. He said the commission is composed of the sort of Washington insiders whom Biden has been “cozying” up to for the last half-century.
“These are permanent swamp monsters,” Trump campaign communications adviser Jason Miller added.
The criticism comes on the heels of Trump’s debate performance Tuesday evening. The faceoff was particularly contentious, with Trump and Biden often hurling insults and talking over each other. As a result, the CPD is considering changes to the rules for the next two debates to ensure more civility.
The Trump campaign is rejecting any format changes, saying the president is content with the guidelines previously negotiated with the Biden campaign. However, Miller confirmed that the president plans to participate in the final two faceoffs with Biden, even if the CPD moves ahead with alterations to the structure of the debates.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is accusing the Biden campaign of pursuing the rules changes.
[Read more: Presidential debate commission to give future moderators ability to cut off candidates’ microphones: Report]
Max Miller, the Trump campaign’s debate negotiator, told reporters the Biden campaign is suggesting that the CPD add opening and closing statements to the next two debates, implement the use of a mute button, and reduce the amount of time reserved for the candidates to engage in open discussion. Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told the Washington Examiner that the Trump campaign is lying.
“There’s as much truth to this as the other weak lies the Trump campaign told in advance of the first debate,” Bates said.
