US Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to the rules set for next week’s debate with former President Donald Trump, although the Democratic candidate believes the decision not to keep both microphones on at all times will work to her disadvantage.
This decision, which was communicated on Wednesday in a letter addressed by Mr.me Harris’s speech to ABC News appeared to mark the end of the debate over microphone muting that had threatened to derail the Sept. 10 presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Acceptance by Mme Harris’s questioning of the debate rules came as Mr. Trump, who had offered to debate on Fox News, participated in a town hall meeting with host Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as a preparation. His longtime ally then asked him about his plans to take on the Democratic nominee.
President Joe Biden’s campaign had made it a condition that microphones be muted except for the candidate whose turn it was to speak. Some aides said they regretted the decision, saying voters were unable to hear Mr. Trump’s outbursts during the June debate. Mr. Biden’s dismal performance contributed to his withdrawal from the campaign trail.
Once Mme Harris took over from Mr Biden as the Democratic Party’s choice for president, and her campaign advocated for open microphones throughout the debate, saying the practice would “fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates”.
But on Wednesday, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, M’s advisersme Harris wrote that the former prosecutor would be “fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the vice president.”
“We suspect this is the primary reason his campaign is insisting on muted microphones. We understand that Donald Trump may not participate in the debate, as he has previously threatened to do, if we do not accept his preferred format. In order not to compromise the debate, we have agreed to all of ABC’s proposed rules, including muted microphones,” the Trump campaign said.me Harris.
A group of reporters will be on hand to listen to what the muted candidate might try to say, according to one of the officials. That detail was not included in the full debate rules, also released Wednesday by ABC, which are essentially the same as those for the June debate between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden.
The network has set parameters ranging from a basic format — 90 minutes, with two commercial breaks — to specifications that moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis “will be the only ones asking questions.”
“Moderators will endeavour to enforce response times and ensure a civilised discussion,” the channel said.
A campaign official for Mme Harris, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss debate planning, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates’ microphones may be muted if there is significant exchange so the audience can understand what is happening.
After a virtual coin toss held on Tuesday and won by Mr. Trump, the Republican Party candidate chose to deliver the closing statement, while Mr.me Harris chose the podium to the right of the viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, no written notes, and no topics or questions communicated in advance to the campaigns or candidates.
Asked about next week’s debate, Mr. Trump reiterated his criticism of ABC as “dishonest” and “unfair,” and reiterated that Mr.me Harris was going to “receive the questions in advance.”