In June, Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden agreed to participate in a debate on ABC News scheduled for Sept. 10. After Biden withdrew from the race and was replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris, it was expected that the agreement would still hold.
However, there is currently a dispute over the terms of the debate as the Harris campaign is seeking to change the previously agreed-upon conditions. This includes a disagreement over whether the candidates’ microphones should be active or turned off when they are not speaking, according to a report from Politico on Monday.
Under the original agreement between Trump and Biden, which was also used during an unsuccessful CNN debate in June leading to Biden’s removal as nominee, the microphones were supposed to be turned off when it wasn’t a candidate’s turn to speak. However, the Harris campaign is insisting that the microphones remain on at all times.
The Harris campaign is openly advocating for live mics for both candidates during the ABC debate on Sept. 10, aiming to prompt “intemperate outbursts” and interruptions from former President Trump, which they believe could work to VP Harris’s advantage.
On the other hand, the Trump campaign insists on adhering to established rules that dictate muted mics for the non-speaking candidate and accuses the Harris camp of attempting to change other terms of the debate.
These include being seated instead of standing and using pre-scripted notes, which they argue would negate Trump’s height advantage and benefit Harris’s struggles with extemporaneous speaking.
The Harris campaign denies these accusations and suggests that Trump’s team is seeking excuses to avoid the debate due to purported fear of going head-to-head against Harris.
On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that despite ongoing uncertainties on Monday, the Trump campaign believed a preliminary agreement on the debate had been reached, while the Harris campaign disagreed.
During a campaign stop in Virginia on Monday, Trump said of the dust-up over the microphones, “Doesn’t matter to me. I’d rather have it probably on. But the agreement was that it would be the same as it was last time.”
In response, a spokesperson for Harris seized on that remark and told reporters, “Both candidates have publicly made clear their willingness to debate with unmuted mics for the duration of the debate to fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates — but it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers overrule him. Sad!”
The Washington Post covered the discussion surrounding debate terms, highlighting Trump’s Truth Social post suggesting that the ABC debate would adhere to the same rules as the CNN debate, despite conflicting suggestions from the Harris team regarding the microphones.
“I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a Debate with Comrade Kamala Harris. It will be Broadcast Live on ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business, on Tuesday, September 10th, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote. “The Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate, which seemed to work out well for everyone except, perhaps, Crooked Joe Biden.”
“The Debate will be ‘stand up,’ and Candidates cannot bring notes, or ‘cheat sheets,'” he continued. “We have also been given assurance by ABC that this will be a ‘fair and equitable’ Debate, and that neither side will be given the questions in advance (No Donna Brazile!).”
“Harris would not agree to the FoxNews Debate on September 4th, but that date will be held open in case she changes her mind or, Flip Flops, as she has done on every single one of her long held and cherished policy beliefs,” Trump added. “A possible third Debate, which would go to NBC FAKE NEWS, has not been agreed to by the Radical Left. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
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