Next month’s debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump won’t have an audience, live microphones when candidates aren’t speaking, or written notes, according to rules that ABC News, the host network, shared this week with both campaigns.
A copy of the rules was provided to the Associated Press on Thursday by a senior Trump campaign official on condition of anonymity ahead of the network’s announcement. The Harris campaign on Thursday insisted it was still discussing the muting of mics with ABC.
The parameters now in place for the Sept. 10 debate are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, a disastrous performance for the incumbent Democrat that fueled his exit from the campaign. It is the only debate that’s been firmly scheduled and could be the only time voters see Harris and Trump go head to head before the November general election.
As much as either party has expressed the desire to keep mics on, and as much as I would love to see Harris also tell Trump to shut up or scold him with “I’m speaking,” I think it’s essential. It’s true that Trump doesn’t know when to shut up, and that would likely work against him. However, he also knows damn well that his people would see him talking over Harris as putting her in her place. Any opportunity to make her looks weak, he’s gonna take… Muting mics is the best way to keep his ass in check.
I think something people forget is that the candidates are standing like 10 feet apart. So with Trump’s mic muted, we may not be able to hear him, but Harris probably still can.
I think that’s one reason Biden seemed so feeble in their debate—he was having trouble focusing on what he was trying to say with Trump rambling on in the background. With the mics muted and the camera focused entirely on Biden, that was totally unapparent to the viewer and it seemed like Biden was just losing his train of thought for no reason. I’m sure Biden told Harris as much, which is why the Harris campaign was pushing for unmuted mics.
I would love to see Harris just stop for a second, turn over towards Trump, and say something like “Your mic is turned off you know, could you stop yelling for a moment?”, and have the cameras cut to a silent video of Trump furiously yelling at his turned-off mic.
Donald, the adults are having a conversation now
If you’re gonna turn the mics off, just put them in separate rooms
As a precaution, the convicted felon and rapist will be locked in a room with mcdonald’s as per his request.
She can say that and I think it would be good a few times, but Trump will not quit, it will be all she gets to say.
I agree generally, but I think the debates mainly help the undecided, who aren’t going to automatically think well of Trumps constantly talking over her. Probably still best for maintaining general state of decorum and sanity. But Harris has a good reason to want Trump to talk himself into a corner.
Debates are stupid. They are never about actual policy nor are they ever about the truth, but merely who can score the most points against their opponent.
If people after all this time still think that trump has valid points that they need a fucking debate to determine their vote, I weep for your nation.
Yes and no.
You are correct that it’s never about policy.
But you get a sense of the candidate by how they respond to counter points and how they are able to pivot on the fly. Sort of like in an interview, you’re asked a bunch of questions?
Same idea. It shows how prepared you were, whether you have good advisors, whether or not you need a diaper change.
Which leads me…I really want Harris, at some point in the middle of the debate, hold her finger up to her nose, like trying to pass off that she’s trying to rub it but really she’s blocking her nasal passages. And then in the middle of her turn say, “Oh God. I’m sorry but there is just an awful smell. Can we break for a minute and check it out? I’m worried it might be a gas leak or something.”
Plus the added benefit of seeing him try, because you know he’s going to. God this is going to be a blood bath and I can’t wait.
I really agree. They said that Trump’s people want the mics off because it will keep him from looking as bad and Harris’ want them on for the same reason, but I’d actually like to hear what they say, so mics off seems better.