ABC News has declined Vice President Kamala Harris’ request to have unmuted microphones during her debate with former President Donald Trump, following days of disagreement over the debate rules. The network email reviewed by The Post outlined rules similar to those for Trump’s previous debate with President Biden, including no audience, no pre-written notes or props, and muted microphones when a candidate is not speaking. Trump and Harris will be standing on stage with only a pen, pad of paper, and a bottle of water allowed.
The Republican campaign had insisted that the debate in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center follows the same rules as the previous showdown with Biden. However, Harris’ team claimed they wanted both candidate microphones on for the entire 90-minute debate. A Trump campaign source mentioned that they understand Harris’ campaign backed down, but the exact timeline is unclear. Harris’ spokesman did not comment immediately on the situation.
It is widely believed that Harris wanted the microphones unmuted to make an interjecting statement that would go viral. Harris, a former prosecutor, garnered sympathetic coverage in the past for delivering a stern “I’m speaking!” during a debate with then-Vice President Mike Pence in 2020, portraying him as sexist. She also criticized Biden for opposing federally mandated interracial school busing in a racially charged attack during a presidential primary debate in 2019. Both of these quotes were later used on campaign merchandise supporting Harris.
Trump adviser Jason Miller accused the Harris team of being dishonest, claiming that everything had been agreed to and set last week. He also suggested that Harris was trying to distract from the fact that she was not participating in interviews. The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to these allegations. The disagreement over microphone rules and other aspects of the debate highlighted the ongoing tensions between the two campaigns as they prepared to face off in a highly anticipated debate.
With the debate date approaching, both the Trump and Harris campaigns were engaged in negotiations over the rules and other aspects of the event. The decision by ABC News to keep the microphones muted when a candidate is not speaking was seen as a compromise between the two sides. As the debate neared, the focus was on how each candidate would perform on stage and how their messages would resonate with voters. The outcome of the debate could have significant implications for the election and the future of the country.
