Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' campaign has agreed to the rules for next week's debate against Republican Donald Trump, which include muting microphones when it is not a candidate's turn to speak, according to a source familiar with the situation. This debate will mark the first time Trump and Harris face off, with Harris stepping in as the Democratic candidate after President Joe Biden decided to withdraw on July 21 following a subpar debate performance in late June against the former president.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that the Harris campaign is still anticipating instances where ABC News, the host of the September 10 debate, will be compelled to unmute the microphones and allow the candidates to respond. Harris' ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket has revitalized a campaign that had previously questioned Biden's prospects. Polls indicated that Trump had gained an edge over Biden, but Harris has since surpassed the Republican candidate in some national surveys.
Over the weekend, Harris urged Trump to debate her with their microphones on throughout the event. So-called "hot mics" can either benefit or harm political candidates, capturing spontaneous remarks that were not intended for public consumption. Muted microphones also prevent debaters from interrupting their opponents. Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, expressed his excitement that Harris and her team had accepted the rules.
"Americans want to hear both candidates present their contrasting visions to the voters, free from constraints," Miller said. "No notes, no sitting down, no advance copies of the questions." Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz and Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance have also consented to a debate on CBS News on October 1.
