Last Updated on 05/09/2024 by Arun jain
Vice President Kamala Harris’ The Democratic nominee’s campaign against former President Donald Trump has backed away from its demand to unmute the microphone for the duration of the upcoming debate.
“Candidates’ microphones shall be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and shall be muted when the time belongs to another candidate,” read the debate rules released Wednesday by ABC News.
A September 10 showdown in Philadelphia had been agreed to by both campaigns in early August, but the Harris team A last-minute bid to change the rules of debate Fearing that keeping the microphone muted for parts of the 90-minute event would suit Trump.
Brian Fallon, a senior communications adviser to Harris, argued that the mute mix rule “fundamentally disenfranchises” the vice president, according to Politico, in a letter sent to the network before the rules were released.
Fallon argued that the muted mix would “serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the vice president.”
“We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign’s insistence on muted microphones,” he wrote.
Fallon’s letter included verbal agreements about the format of the debate — not included in ABC News’ press release of debate rules — that were apparently key to getting the Harris campaign to waive demands for a microphone.
Those agreements include allowing moderators to reprimand any candidate who interrupts and ask to repeat a comment when the microphone is unmuted, as well as giving ABC News the option to leave both microphones open during heated crosstalk, according to Politico.
Pool reporters traveling with Harris will also have more access to the debate hall than reporters accompanying President Biden during the June 27 CNN debate, the report noted.
The rest of the agreed-upon rules announced by the network are largely the same as the Biden-Trump debate.
There will be two professional breaks in the discussion; No opening statements; two-minute closing statements; Candidates will stand behind the podium; No pre-written notes or props will be allowed; Candidates will get pen and notepad; Candidates have two-minutes to answer questions, two minutes for rebuttals and one additional minute for follow-ups, clarifications or responses; And employees cannot communicate with discussants during breaks.
There will be no audience during the debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The discussion will be moderated by ABC “World News Tonight” anchors David Muir and Lynsey Davis, who will be the only people asking questions.
Trump, who won Tuesday’s coin flip, chose to make the final closing statement and allowed Harris to pick the podium. According to the network, the vice president chose the right podium position on the screen (stage left).
The debate will air live on ABC, the network’s streaming platforms, Disney+ and Hulu at 9pm ET. It will also be available for simulcast by other networks.
Post After initial pushback, Kamala accepted the mute mic rule in the ensuing debate with Donald Trump appeared first New York Post.