According to a report by the New York Post, ABC News has rejected Vice President Kamala Harris’ last-minute attempt to alter the rules for her upcoming September 10 debate against former President Donald Trump.
Harris’ team had requested that both candidates’ microphones remain unmuted for the entirety of the 90-minute debate, a proposal that was met with firm resistance from Trump’s campaign and ultimately declined by ABC.
The debate, scheduled to take place at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, will adhere to the same set of rules that governed Trump’s June 27 debate with President Biden on CNN.
These rules include no audience, no pre-written notes or props, and microphones that will be muted when a candidate is not speaking. Both candidates will be allowed only a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water on stage.
Harris’ request, which came just days before the debate, was viewed by Republicans as an attempt to create a scenario favorable to the Vice President.
According to a senior Trump campaign ally, ABC News had already confirmed the debate rules with both campaigns last week, and Harris’ push for unmuted mics was seen as a last-ditch effort to gain an advantage.
“At this point, Team Harris is going to be taking an ‘L’ when they finally accept, as the debate rules aren’t changing, or they’ll take an even bigger ‘L’ if they back out of the debate,” the Trump ally commented.
Despite ABC’s decision, Harris’ team has remained vocal about their dissatisfaction.
In a statement, Harris spokesperson Brian Fallon expressed frustration with the debate’s format, suggesting that Trump’s handlers were behind the decision to keep the microphones muted. “Our latest understanding is that even though Trump said Monday he would be fine with an unmuted mic, his handlers don’t trust him to spar live with VP Harris,” Fallon stated.
Trump’s campaign, however, has dismissed these claims, with senior adviser Jason Miller labeling the Harris team’s tactics as distractions. “Everything was agreed to and set last week,” Miller asserted.
The decision by ABC News to uphold the original rules has been welcomed by Trump’s supporters, who view it as a victory against what they perceive as Harris’ attempts to manipulate the debate format for political gain.
The Harris campaign’s insistence on unmuted mics is reminiscent of the Vice President’s previous debate moments, where her interjectory remarks garnered significant attention.