Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has accepted the terms of the upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump, as outlined in a letter sent to the debate organizers. One of the key conditions of the debate is that the candidates’ microphones will be muted when it is not their turn to speak, a decision that the Harris campaign has expressed objections to.
In their letter to the network, the Harris campaign reiterated their concerns about the muted mics condition, stating that they believe Vice President Harris will be at a disadvantage due to this format. Despite their reservations, the campaign acknowledged the importance of adhering to the agreed-upon rules to ensure the debate proceeds smoothly.
The Harris campaign was assured that in the event of significant cross talk between Harris and Trump, the network may choose to turn on the microphones to allow the public to follow the conversation. The moderator will also play a role in discouraging constant interruptions and providing clarity to viewers on the discussion. Additionally, pool reporters will be present in the room to report on the exchanges between the candidates.
The letter from the Harris campaign highlighted their belief that the muted microphones could potentially shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with Vice President Harris, suggesting that this may be a reason for the Trump campaign's preference for this format. Despite their concerns, the Harris campaign recognized the risk of Trump skipping the debate if their preferred format was not accepted, and thus agreed to the full set of rules proposed, including the use of muted microphones.
