1 00:00:02,033 --> 00:00:05,366 JUDY WOODRUFF: To debate or not to debate, in-person or not in-person. Those questions 2 00:00:07,333 --> 00:00:10,533 dominated the U.S. presidential campaign this day. President Trump insisted he won't agree 3 00:00:12,466 --> 00:00:16,533 to a virtual encounter online, and Joe Biden balked at delaying their debate. 4 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:20,266 It all came a day after their running mates faced off. 5 00:00:20,266 --> 00:00:22,433 Amna Nawaz begins our coverage. 6 00:00:22,433 --> 00:00:27,433 AMNA NAWAZ: With 26 days until Election Day, the Democratic ticket headed to Arizona, where 7 00:00:29,933 --> 00:00:33,833 former Vice President Joe Biden took a moment to hail Senator Kamala Harris' debate performance 8 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,666 the night before. 9 00:00:36,666 --> 00:00:38,766 JOE BIDEN (D), Presidential Candidate: This is one of the finest persons I have ever dealt 10 00:00:38,766 --> 00:00:40,866 with. This is a person who is ready on day one to be the president of the United States 11 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,466 of America. 12 00:00:45,466 --> 00:00:47,866 This is a person who has more integrity in their little finger than most people have 13 00:00:47,866 --> 00:00:52,466 in their whole body. And the idea -- it's obvious he cannot -- he has great difficulty 14 00:00:52,466 --> 00:00:54,600 dealing with strong women. 15 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,633 AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, back in Washington, President Trump threw next week's debate with 16 00:00:57,633 --> 00:00:59,733 Biden into turmoil. 17 00:00:59,733 --> 00:01:01,800 DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: No, I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual 18 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,066 debate. That's not what debating is all about, you sit behind a computer and do a debate. 19 00:01:05,066 --> 00:01:07,533 It's ridiculous. 20 00:01:07,533 --> 00:01:09,566 AMNA NAWAZ: First refusing to take part after the Debate Commission this morning announced 21 00:01:09,566 --> 00:01:14,400 a virtual format to -- quote -- "protect the health and safety of all involved," later 22 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,800 agreeing with a Biden campaign suggestion that the debate be delayed one week, so it 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,900 could still be held in-person. 24 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:24,933 In a statement, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said -- quote -- "We agree that this 25 00:01:24,933 --> 00:01:29,766 should happen on October 22, and, accordingly, the third debate should then be shifted back 26 00:01:29,766 --> 00:01:32,500 one week to October 29." 27 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:37,466 Biden campaign manager Kate Bedingfield fired back, writing: "Trump's erratic behavior does 28 00:01:37,466 --> 00:01:42,466 not allow him to rewrite the calendar," and insisting the final debate remain on October 29 00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:47,800 22. "Donald Trump can show up," Bedingfield said, "or he can decline again." 30 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,666 JOE BIDEN: We set the dates. I'm sticking with the dates. I'm showing up. I will be 31 00:01:52,666 --> 00:01:56,066 there. And, in fact, if he shows up, fine. If he doesn't, fine. 32 00:01:56,066 --> 00:02:01,033 AMNA NAWAZ: In another scheduling shift, this afternoon, ABC News announced it would host 33 00:02:02,966 --> 00:02:06,066 a Biden town hall in Philadelphia on October 15, now that the president had backed out 34 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:08,766 of that night's debate. 35 00:02:08,766 --> 00:02:12,466 The back-and-forth on debate planning comes after an intense back-and-forth between the 36 00:02:12,466 --> 00:02:14,500 vice presidential candidates last night. 37 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:15,533 SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), Vice Presidential Candidate: No, I -- no, but, Susan, I -- this 38 00:02:15,533 --> 00:02:17,566 is important... 39 00:02:17,566 --> 00:02:19,033 MIKE PENCE, Vice President of the United States: Susan, I have to weigh in here. 40 00:02:19,033 --> 00:02:19,966 SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking. 41 00:02:19,966 --> 00:02:21,133 MIKE PENCE: I have to weigh in. 42 00:02:21,133 --> 00:02:23,766 SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: I'm speaking. 43 00:02:23,766 --> 00:02:26,033 AMNA NAWAZ: In a debate dominated by the pandemic, Senator Harris slammed the White House response, 44 00:02:26,033 --> 00:02:28,066 calling it: 45 00:02:28,066 --> 00:02:30,733 SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: The greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history 46 00:02:30,733 --> 00:02:32,800 of our country. 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,500 I want to ask the American people, how calm were you when you were panicked about where 48 00:02:35,500 --> 00:02:39,900 you're going to get your next roll of toilet paper? How calm were you when your kids were 49 00:02:39,900 --> 00:02:42,666 sent home from school and you didn't know when they could go back? 50 00:02:42,666 --> 00:02:46,633 AMNA NAWAZ: Vice President Pence, the head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, 51 00:02:46,633 --> 00:02:50,233 defended the decision to not create a federally coordinated response. 52 00:02:50,233 --> 00:02:55,200 MIKE PENCE: The difference here is President Trump and I trust the American people to make 53 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,100 choices in the best interest of their health. 54 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:04,066 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris consistently talk about mandates. We're about freedom and respecting 55 00:03:05,233 --> 00:03:07,300 the freedom of the American people. 56 00:03:07,300 --> 00:03:10,966 AMNA NAWAZ: In stark contrast to the first presidential face-off, peppered with interruptions 57 00:03:10,966 --> 00:03:15,566 and heckling from the president, Harris and Pence largely stuck to the issues, and their 58 00:03:15,566 --> 00:03:17,600 campaign messages. 59 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,766 MIKE PENCE: Your Green New Deal, your massive new mandates, your Paris Climate Accord, it's 60 00:03:20,766 --> 00:03:23,333 going to kill jobs this time just like it killed jobs in the last administration. 61 00:03:23,333 --> 00:03:25,866 SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: I just need to respond very briefly, please. 62 00:03:25,866 --> 00:03:30,700 Joe Biden believes you measure the health and the strength of America's economy based 63 00:03:30,700 --> 00:03:35,700 on the health and the strength of the American worker and the American family. On the other 64 00:03:37,700 --> 00:03:41,800 hand, you have Donald Trump, who measures the strength of the economy based on how rich 65 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,800 people are doing. 66 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,233 AMNA NAWAZ: Voters from both sides of the aisle who watched the debate with us, said 67 00:03:46,233 --> 00:03:48,366 they welcomed the change in tone. 68 00:03:48,366 --> 00:03:52,700 Who felt better about the way the debate went tonight? Raise your hand if you felt better. 69 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:55,266 But most were unsatisfied with the candidates' answers. 70 00:03:55,266 --> 00:03:58,400 LORRAINE ZAPATA, Elementary School Principal: I do feel like both candidates were dodging 71 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,500 the question. 72 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:03,333 JAROD MADINGER, Sales Consultant: We get it. You all don't like Trump. We get it. Attack 73 00:04:03,333 --> 00:04:05,266 the points. 74 00:04:05,266 --> 00:04:07,366 AMNA NAWAZ: And they're wary of what the next presidential debate could bring. 75 00:04:07,366 --> 00:04:09,733 BRUCE PENUEL, Retired Police Officer: I hope it doesn't repeat itself, but, if it does, 76 00:04:09,733 --> 00:04:11,700 I don't see any sense in continuing to watch. 77 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:15,933 AMNA NAWAZ: Weighing whether or not to tune in the next time the candidates take to the 78 00:04:15,933 --> 00:04:17,066 debate stage. 79 00:04:17,066 --> 00:04:19,900 For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Amna Nawaz.