Vice President Kamala Harris has conceded to the original debate rules set by ABC News for the upcoming presidential debate with former President Donald Trump.
According to a report by Breitbart News, Harris's campaign has agreed to proceed with the previously established guidelines, which include no notes, no sitting, no audience, and no open microphones.
The debate, scheduled for September 10, had been a subject of contention due to Harris's recent attempts to modify the rules. However, a senior Trump campaign aide informed Breitbart News that the Vice President's team has now acquiesced to the original terms. ABC News is set to conduct a virtual coin toss to determine podium positioning and the order of closing arguments.
Harris's campaign had made a last-minute effort to alter the debate format, particularly regarding the use of microphones. The initial agreement, made when President Joe Biden was still in the race, stipulated that microphones would be muted except for the candidate whose turn it was to speak.
Two weeks ago, both the Trump and Harris campaigns had confirmed their acceptance of ABC News's debate rules. However, the Harris campaign suddenly requested that the network unmute candidates' microphones, a proposal that Trump continued to oppose.
ABC News pushed back against Harris's attempt to change the mic rules, rejecting the proposed modifications on Thursday.
Some observers have speculated on the reasons behind Harris's attempt to modify the debate rules. One person familiar with Harris's negotiations suggested to Politico Playbook that the Vice President wanted an unmuted mic to potentially capitalize on any "intemperate outbursts" from Trump.
The source stated:
She's more than happy to have exchanges with him if he tries to interrupt her. And given how shook he seems by her, he's very prone to having intemperate outbursts and … I think the campaign would want viewers to hear [that].
However, critics have suggested that Harris's desire for open mics might be an attempt to cover for potential gaffes or verbal missteps.
Former President Trump had previously announced his agreement to debate Harris, referring to the event in his characteristic style. Trump stated:
I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a Debate with Comrade Kamala Harris. It will be Broadcast Live on ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business, on Tuesday, September 10th, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Despite his criticism of the network, Trump has maintained his commitment to the debate and its original rules.
In conclusion, the upcoming presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is set to proceed with the original ABC News rules. Harris's campaign has abandoned its efforts to change the format, agreeing to no notes, no sitting, no audience, and muted microphones.
The debate, scheduled for September 10 in Philadelphia, will likely be a significant event in the 2024 presidential race. Both candidates will face off under these established guidelines, with viewers eager to see how they perform in this high-stakes political confrontation.
