Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to the rules set for the upcoming Sept. 10 presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, which includes the provision to mute microphones when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak. ABC News announced the debate rules on Sept. 4 after weeks of negotiations between the two campaigns, finalizing the terms.
A letter from Harris’s campaign to ABC, obtained by the Associated Press, confirmed acceptance of the rules, putting an end to the negotiations over microphone muting that had previously caused a stir. Both the Harris and Trump campaigns had differing opinions on whether microphones should be muted during the debate. Harris’s campaign adviser, Brian Fallon, had expressed a preference for keeping both candidates’ microphones live throughout the debate, suggesting that Trump’s team wanted muting due to concerns about his behavior during the full 90 minutes.
In response, Trump’s adviser Jason Miller accused Harris of trying to avoid debating Trump altogether. He stated that they had already agreed to the same terms as CNN’s June debate, which had muted microphones, and emphasized that there should be no changes to the agreed-upon rules.
Despite the initial disagreements, the Harris campaign expressed agreement with the rules set by ABC but voiced concerns about the format, indicating that it could shield Trump from direct exchanges with the vice president. Trump confirmed his acceptance of the rules in a statement on Truth Social, mentioning that the debate would follow the same format as the June CNN debate where he faced off against Biden.
The upcoming debate will be moderated by David Muir of “World News Tonight” and Linsey Davis of ABC News Live. According to the announced rules, each candidate will have allotted time to respond to questions, followed by rebuttals and clarifications. Microphones will be muted when a candidate is not speaking to maintain order during the debate.
Furthermore, the debate will not have an audience, and both candidates are prohibited from bringing notes onstage. They will only have access to a pen, notepad, and a bottle of water. Each candidate will have a closing statement, with Trump winning the coin flip to deliver the final statement. If significant interruptions occur, both candidates’ microphones may be temporarily unmuted for clarity.
Following the presidential debate, the vice presidential candidates, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), are scheduled to debate on Oct. 1 on CBS News. The event promises to be a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the presidential election.
Contributions to this report were made by Jack Phillips and the Associated Press.
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