Harris Agrees to Rules for Sept. 10 Trump Debate on ABC, Including Muting

Vice President Kamala Harris has confirmed her acceptance of the debate rules for the upcoming event against former President Donald Trump, although she noted that the decision to mute both candidates’ microphones will disadvantage her. This announcement was made through a letter from Harris’ campaign to ABC News, signaling the end of a dispute over microphone usage that had the potential to disrupt the debate scheduled for September 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The acceptance of these rules comes as Trump participated in a solo town hall meeting with Sean Hannity on Fox News, a setup he previously suggested as a debate with Harris. During this town hall, he discussed his strategies against the Democratic nominee, deviating from the planned debate format.

President Joe Biden’s campaign set the precedent for muted microphones, allowing only one candidate to speak at a time, as a condition for participating in debates this year. Some Biden aides have expressed regret over this decision, arguing that it shielded voters from Trump’s outbursts during previous debates. Many felt that this contributed to Biden’s underwhelming performance, which ultimately led to his exit from the race.

Once Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate, her campaign argued for open microphones during the entire debate, asserting that it would facilitate more genuine exchanges between the candidates. However, a letter from her advisors, obtained by The Associated Press, indicated that the chosen format would put Harris at a “fundamental disadvantage” by preventing direct dialogue with Trump.

“We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign’s insistence on muted microphones,” the letter stated.

Despite these concerns, Harris’ campaign recognized the potential risk of Trump opting out of the debate if they did not agree to his preferred format. To avoid jeopardizing the debate, they conceded to the full set of rules proposed by ABC, which included the muted microphones.

According to Harris’ campaign, a pool of journalists will be present to capture any remarks from the candidate whose microphone is off, even though this detail was not explicitly included in the debate rules released by ABC. The rules largely resembled those established for the Trump-Biden debate in June.

The basic format of the upcoming debate includes a duration of 90 minutes with two commercial breaks. Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis will be the sole questioners, aiming to prevent an unstructured back-and-forth between the candidates.

“Moderators will work to enforce timing agreements and maintain a respectful discussion,” ABC outlined.

According to a campaign official, a candidate who interrupts excessively will receive a warning from the moderators. In situations of significant crosstalk, both candidates’ microphones may be turned back on so the audience can better understand the exchange.

In a virtual coin toss conducted on Tuesday, Trump was given the opportunity to deliver the closing statement. Harris chose her position on the podium to the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience present, nor will candidates receive written notes or have advance access to topics or questions.

During the town hall event on Wednesday, Trump discussed issues typical of his campaign, focusing heavily on immigration, and answered questions framed by Hannity using video clips of Harris from interviews. Trump frequently redirected the focus from Harris to Biden, labeling the Democrats’ selection of Harris as their nominee a “coup” and expressing a preference for debating her rather than participating in the town hall.

Regarding the upcoming debate, Trump reiterated past criticisms of ABC as “dishonest” and “unfair,” while also asserting that Harris’ campaign would receive questions in advance.

The contrast between Trump’s town hall and next week’s debate underscores the significance of Pennsylvania, a vital battleground state where 19 Electoral College votes are at stake in the upcoming election.

Source: Associated Press