Thanuja Jayani, JadeTimes Staff
T. Jayani is a JadeTimes news reporter covering USA
Vice President Kamala Harris has consented to the debate rules for her upcoming televised face off with Donald Trump, which will include a provision for muting microphones during each candidate’s allotted speaking time. Initially, Harris’s campaign had contested this rule, believing it could advantage Trump, as her predecessor, Joe Biden, had accepted similar conditions in his debates.
On Wednesday, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to the debate terms set by host network ABC News. Scheduled for September 10 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this will be the first debate between Harris and Trump as presidential nominees.
The debate rules will mirror those from the June debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. That debate, which saw Biden’s underwhelming performance, led to criticism and calls for him to withdraw from the Democratic nomination. Observers suggested that the muted mic rule might have benefitted Trump by reducing interruptions and allowing for a more controlled performance.
In a letter to ABC, Harris’s campaign expressed concerns that the debate format would put them at a disadvantage, claiming it would prevent direct exchanges with Trump. However, they accepted the rules to ensure the debate proceeds, noting Trump’s previous threats to skip the debate if the format was not to his liking.
The Trump campaign welcomed the agreement, with a spokesperson expressing satisfaction that Harris’s team had accepted the established rules. Trump himself, however, has expressed reservations about ABC, criticizing the network’s fairness and suggesting he only agreed to the debate due to Harris’s campaign's refusal to engage with other networks.
The debate will be held at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, running for 90 minutes, and will be moderated by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. There will be no live audience, and both candidates will forgo opening statements and will not communicate with their campaign staff during commercial breaks.
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