Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted the ground rules for her upcoming TV debate with Donald Trump, which include a provision allowing microphones to be muted when it’s the other candidate’s turn to speak. This concession comes after her campaign initially opposed the rule, believing it would give Trump an advantage.
The debate, scheduled for September 10 in Philadelphia, will mark the first face-to-face encounter between Harris and Trump as presidential nominees. Both campaigns agreed to the guidelines, laid out by host network ABC News, which are similar to those used in a June debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. That event saw Biden struggle, with political analysts suggesting the muted mic rule may have helped Trump by keeping him more focused and less prone to interruptions.
While Harris’s team expressed concerns that the format might disadvantage her by limiting direct exchanges with Trump, they ultimately agreed to the rules to avoid the risk of Trump backing out entirely, as he had previously hinted.
“We understand the risk that Donald Trump may refuse to participate if we don’t accept his preferred format,” Harris’s campaign stated, adding that they were proceeding to ensure the debate goes ahead as planned.
Trump’s campaign, meanwhile, celebrated the agreement, with Trump taking the opportunity to criticize ABC in an interview with Fox News, accusing the network of bias but agreeing to the debate format nonetheless.
Moderated by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis, the 90-minute debate will be held at the Constitution Center and promises to be a pivotal moment in the race. Neither candidate will deliver opening statements, and communication with campaign staff during breaks is prohibited. Political watchers are eagerly awaiting this high-stakes showdown, which could have a significant impact on the election.
