ABC News has declined a final attempt by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to alter the regulations for her inaugural debate with President Donald Trump. The network dismissed Vice President Harris’s efforts to undermine her opponent ahead of the debate scheduled for September 10. Reports indicate that Harris sought permission for the candidates to remain seated throughout the debate.
Additionally, she requested to bring notes and to keep the microphones active rather than deactivating them once each candidate’s allotted time had concluded. These same rules were previously applied during President Joe Biden’s challenging CNN debate against Trump in late June. According to a report from the New York Post published on Thursday, both Trump and Harris will be required to stand for the entire duration of the debate. Each candidate will be permitted to have a water bottle, a pen, and paper. The debate is set to take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
A source close to Trump informed The Post that both campaigns received written notification of the debate rules last week, and both parties consented to the network’s regulations. Subsequently, Harris’s campaign made further contact, requesting that the microphones remain active throughout the debate.
Reports suggest a prevailing opinion that live microphones could pose a risk for Trump, considering his tendency to interrupt his opponents during debates. Some Republicans contend that Harris was trying to ensnare the GOP nominee by advocating for live mics. Conversely, others pointed out that Harris, who frequently interrupted former Vice President Mike Pence in her 2020 vice presidential debate, was merely seeking to employ a similar tactic against Trump.
The source reportedly told The Post:
“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 because the Dana Bash/CNN interview goes poorly.”
Harris has refrained from engaging with the media for nearly 40 days following her ascension to the forefront of the Democratic Party’s 2024 ticket over a month ago. Nevertheless, she is scheduled to participate in her first interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash, which will be conducted in a pre-taped and edited format prior to its airing.
Joining her in this interview will be her running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, who is known for his progressive stance. However, the decision to have Walz accompany Harris during the interview has sparked criticism.
Opponents contend that her reluctance to engage with the media independently raises concerns regarding her leadership capabilities in the world’s foremost nation.
As reported by Slay News, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings characterized Harris’s inability to conduct the interview alone as “incredibly weak,” suggesting that it reflects a lack of confidence within the party regarding her leadership.
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