Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will not make any public appearances until after Thursday’s final debate with President Donald Trump.
CBS political correspondent Ed O’Keefe predicted the move on Sunday’s “Face the Nation,” telling Margaret Brennan that Biden would “not be seen again after today” until he arrived at the debate in Nashville. (RELATED: Biden Starts October By Taking A Day Off. Here’s How Many He Took In September)
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And by early Monday morning, the word was out.
The Biden campaign has called a lid until Thursday.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) October 19, 2020
Joe Biden has called a three-day lid ???? pic.twitter.com/viT4kJI89U
— Eddie Zipperer (@EddieZipperer) October 19, 2020
The three-day lid bring the total number of off days — in just the month of October — to six. With only 15 days remaining until the Nov. 3 election, three days amounts to one-fifth of the time Biden has left to campaign.
Updated Biden Lid calendar for the month of October ???? pic.twitter.com/aJBiaJlbO3
— Alec Sears (@alec_sears) October 19, 2020
President Trump plans to continue with a more active campaign schedule, as shared by his son Eric Trump.
Not calling “a lid” – here is #TeamTrumps travel schedule over the next 48 hours! #WorkEthic
????@realDonaldTrump: AZ, PA, & NC
????@VP: ME, PA, NH, & OH
????@EricTrump: NH & MI
????@LaraLeaTrump: NV & AZ
????@IvankaTrump: MI, WI, & NC
????@DonaldJTrumpJr: NC & PA— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) October 19, 2020
While O’Keefe told Brennan that Biden’s three-day break was a strategic effort to prepare for the final debate, some suggested that there might be other reasons for the campaign staying out of sight.
Joe Biden called a “lid” on any appearances until Thursday (with only 15 days to go)… This is the work ethic of a person who has been dependent on government for 47 years. #HeIsTired
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) October 19, 2020
????????????Biden called a lid till Thursday?
So rather than refute the damaging evidence of his total corruption he goes into hiding knowing that MSM Media and Social Media will cover for him.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 18, 2020
Biden actually callled a lid until Thursday. That is insane – and def looks like an admission of guilt.
— Rob Schmitt (@SchmittNYC) October 19, 2020
The Biden campaign has called a lid until after Thursday’s debate. They are running down the clock to November 3rd, giving as little media access to Joe, as possible. pic.twitter.com/BKULfS2Dk9
— TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) October 19, 2020
CNN anchor Jake Tapper questioned the wisdom of taking a day off with so little time left, asking Democratic Delaware Sen. Chris Coons about it on Sunday’s “State of the Union.” Coons replied simply that Biden had been campaigning “tirelessly” throughout the election cycle, and went on to accuse Trump of holding unsafe events.
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“I would just say that I think it’s pretty much the opposite of the word tireless to take a day off,” Tapper concluded.