US: Trump team seeks 4th debate with Biden, cites voting by mail

President Donald Trump's campaign is requesting a fourth debate with his presumptive Democratic rival, citing an expected surge in mail and absentee voting this fall because of coronavirus.

Trump campaign manr Brad Parscale and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani made request Thursday in a call with Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chair of npartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. request was described by a person familiar with conversation who was t authorized to discuss it publicly.

“We want fair debates,” Parscale said. “We want m sooner and we want a bigger schedule. We also don’t want m up against football games competing for viewers. As many Americans as possible need to see stark differences between accomplishments and leadership of President Trump and failed record and sleepiness of Joe Biden.”

It marked a dramatic reversal from Trump campaign’s position in December, when Trump and Parscale were threatening that president could participate in fewer or even debates put on by commission, against his Democratic opponent.

Presumptive Democratic minee Joe Biden's campaign said it wasn't looking for ar debate and instead plans to participate in those scheduled by commission.

“We are t going to ride roller coaster of ever-changing Trump campaign position on debates, r are we going to be distracted by his demands,” Biden deputy campaign manr Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.

“We will make this simple," Bedingfield continued. "Like every or Democratic and Republican candidate since 1992, we will show up for debates set by Commission on Presidential Debates, at places y have selected, on dates y have selected, with formats and moderators y designate -- so long as Donald Trump does same, and does t intimidate Commission into changes from past practices.”

first of three presidential debates is scheduled for Sept. 29 at University of tre Dame, and is expected to feature Trump and Biden. Trump's team requested that commission hold an earlier contest, ting absentee and mail voting is being expanded because of COVID-19 pandemic and expressed concern that some ballots — especially those by elderly voters most at risk to virus — could be cast before first debate.

shift comes as Trump's campaign contends that Biden is his own worst enemy in public appearances and has unloaded on former vice president for campaigning “from his basement” during pandemic.

Trump team also suggested that each campaign have a role in selecting debate moderators, and potentially vetoing some journalists identified to serve in that role.

Fahrenkopf indicated that debates commission would take Trump campaign's suggestions under advisement, person said.

Giuliani, president's personal attorney who played a key role in Ukraine saga at center of Trump's impeachment, was tapped by Trump to lead negotiations with debates commission. He played a similar role in 2016 after Paul Manafort was ousted as Trump campaign chairman.

commission has organized every general election presidential debate since 1988.