Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris has finally conceded to the idea of actually participating in a presidential debate against Donald Trump, following weeks of her campaign dragging its feet over the rules. The debate, set to take place on September 10 and broadcasted by ABC, has seen her team squawking about one key rule that is, quite frankly, a no-brainer: muted microphones while the other candidate is speaking. Apparently, the art of listening isn’t something one can master while trying to talk over a former president.
After some back-and-forth negotiations—likely involving more smoke and mirrors than actual substance—Harris ultimately agreed to a ruleset that is reminiscent of the debate between Trump and Biden. Harris’s campaign, however, lodged complaints against the muted microphone rule, claiming it would unfairly shield Trump from direct interactions. Imagine that: a former prosecutor worrying about having to prove her case without constantly interrupting. Sounds like she might be better off preparing for a different kind of courtroom drama.
REPORT: ABC News Leaves Door Open To Changing Debate Rules After Complaints From Harris Campaign
Ooohhhhh, kami wants out of the debate. Why should the rules change for her? https://t.co/xd9y0ignMt
— persistantNagatha 🇺🇸🍊 (@kmcccomcastnet) September 5, 2024
Despite her team’s theatrical protests, ABC News, which has ties to the Harris family deeper than a pothole on the road to fiscal responsibility, has offered profound “assurances” to accommodate her concerns. Should the debate devolve into sound bites and shouting matches, the moderating team will supposedly intervene, turning the mics back on and clarifying who is saying what. It raises an interesting question—what’s more entertaining, listening to Trump or hearing Harris’s marketing pitch for her preferred policies while repeatedly reminding everyone she’s “still speaking”?
Harris’s justification for eventually accepting the debate rules seems rooted in a rather flimsy reason: the unfounded fear that Trump might back out entirely. The former president has consistently expressed his willingness to debate, while her campaign’s reluctance raised eyebrows. If this is some sort of strategic move, one can’t help but wonder if they’re drawing from a playbook titled “How to Overreact 101.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign has been proactive, readily accepting the proposed rules for the upcoming debate while Harris’s team continues to wring its hands over the thought of not being able to form a complete sentence without shouting “I’m speaking!”—a gem from her past debates that is now likelier to earn her a reality TV show than a fruitful campaign strategy. Harris’s fear of being overshadowed by Trump’s charisma seems palpable, but if she wants to enter the ring, the microphone muting rule might just be the least of her problems.
