After multiple location changes for the first presidential debate due to the pandemic, there is now an official location where it’s going to take place.
What We Know:
- With the University of Norte Dame withdrawing as host for the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, it will now be hosted by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
- President of Norte Dame, Rev. John I. Jenkins, announced Monday that the university will be withdrawing as the host because of the health precautions, “that would have greatly diminished the educational value of hosting the debate on our campus”. This decision came after consulting the County Deputy Health officer Dr. Mark Fox and the Board of Trustees’ executive committee who gave its unanimous support.
“The inevitable reduction in students attendance in the debate hall, volunteer opportunities and ancillary educational events undermined the primary benefit of hosting, to provide our students with a meaningful opportunity to engage in the American political process”, President Rev. John Jenkins wrote in a press release.
- Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic stepped in to be the hosts for the Sept. 29th debate. It is not confirmed yet if there be will an audience or not for the debate. It will all depend on the status of the pandemic as the event moves closer. The Cleveland Clinic has served as the health security adviser for the Commission on Presidential Debates for all of the fall’s debates, according to a reporting of Cleveland.
- The second democratic debate, that was set to take place on Oct. 15th at the University of Michigan, was also dropped because of the concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. The debate will take place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida instead.
The uncertainty about the pandemic still makrs mass gathering events as high risk factors. The presidential debate organizers will have to take safety precautions that will not put the audience (if there will be one), President Donald Trump, and Democratic nominee Joe Biden at risk.
