Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was off the campaign trail before noon Thursday, starting off the last month of his campaign with an early lid.
Biden campaign calls lid on the day.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) October 1, 2020
Btw, Biden called another lid today
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) October 1, 2020
Critics began questioning the frequency with which the Biden campaign cut off the days’ events, noting that he had done so 11 times in the month of September alone. (RELATED: ‘Just Ridicule The Guy’: Joy Behar Says Biden Should Use Debate To ‘Make A Fool’ Of Trump)
A tracker dated September 26 marked the tally at 10 early lid calls, but the former vice president also called it a day before noon on the 28th.
Tracking Biden Campaign Lid Calls for the month of September. (Date, time & what the pool reporters of the day wrote)
Total so far → 10 lid calls
This week alone from 9/19-9/26 → 4 pic.twitter.com/R4zBcrd5dn— Mona Salama (@MonaSalama_) September 26, 2020
Some argued — in the days leading up to the first debate between Biden and President Donald Trump — that Biden was staying close to home in order to do debate prep, but that reasoning appeared less likely 15 days ahead of the next debate.
Biden called a lid for about 40% of the days in September and is starting out October with one.
His next debate isn’t until October 15th, so please don’t reply telling me it’s debate prep.
Biden is still leading and it probably doesn’t matter, but still noteworthy. https://t.co/7PQylpzcKz
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) October 1, 2020
According to reports, the lid applied only to in-person events and a virtual fundraiser was still on the schedule for 5 pm.
News: Biden campaign calls a lid for in-person events at 11:20am, per pooler @brittanys.
There’s a virtual fundraiser at 5:00pm.
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) October 1, 2020
President Trump has ridiculed the Biden campaign for cutting his days short, arguing that he would be a “low energy President.”
Sleepy Joe Biden just closed down his campaign for the day (Again). Wants to rest! He is a very LOW ENERGY INDIVIDUAL, and our Country cannot make it in these exciting, but complex and competitive times, with a Low Energy President !!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2020