It's a stunning development for most voters regardless of their political positions.

Talk about an October surprise.

It is extraordinary on many different levels given this president's history with managing

or many would argue mismanaging what is still an out of control pandemic in our country.

Welcome to Deconstructed.

I'm Ryan Grimm.

Use of Donald Trump's COVID diagnosis, his stint at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,

and his theatrical return to the White House on Monday night were of course the big stories

of the week, all of which made Wednesday night's vice presidential debate feel like even more

of a side show than usual.

Both candidates studiously avoided any explicit mention of the president's diagnosis, but

Trump nonetheless loomed large over the whole thing.

Even the opening spiel from moderator Susan Page was pretty clearly aimed at the president.

The two campaigns in the Commission on Presidential Debates have agreed to the ground rules for

tonight.

I'm here to enforce them.

We want a debate that is lively, but Americans also deserve a discussion that is civil.

Not since he decided to skip a primary debate in 2016 was Trump's absence so keenly felt

on a debate stage.

Before we get to the issues, let's address the elephant not in the room tonight.

As it turns out, Wednesday nights might have been the last debate between the two campaigns

we're going to get.

...