Presidential Debate Scheduled for the 10th Next Month on ABC
Harris Attempts to Change Agreement on Mike Muting
Trump: "No Reason to Change... Follow 'CNN Rules'"
With the first TV debate showdown scheduled for the 10th of next month, presidential candidates former President Donald Trump (Republican) and Vice President Kamala Harris (Democrat) have clashed. They have expressed differing views on whether to mute the microphone when the other party is speaking. Given that Vice President Harris's approval ratings have been consecutively surpassing former President Trump's in various polls, this is interpreted as a psychological battle to gain an advantageous position through the TV debate.
Republican candidate Donald Trump (former president, photo left) and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris (current vice president), who are running in the upcoming U.S. presidential election this November. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
Microphone Muting? What’s Happening in the Two Camps
According to CNN and others, ABC, which is hosting the presidential debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris on the 10th of next month, sent a debate rules document to both sides on the 27th stating, "Only the microphone of the candidate whose turn it is to speak will be on, and the other candidate's microphone will be muted after their time passes." This means the microphone will be turned off to prevent interruptions while the other is speaking.
Earlier, when Joe Biden was the Democratic primary candidate in June, both sides agreed to hold two presidential debates via CNN on June 27 and ABC on September 10. At that time, both sides agreed to mute the microphone when the other was speaking, and during the June 27 debate, the moderator gave the floor to the speaker, who spoke only during their turn, while the other candidate just observed during the opponent’s response.
However, the situation changed last month when the Democratic presidential candidate switched from President Biden to Vice President Harris. The Harris camp insists that during next month’s presidential debate, she should be able to speak through the microphone even when it is not her turn. The reason is to allow the two candidates to engage in substantive communication. The Harris camp stated that even after ABC delivered the rules, the proposal is a 'draft' requiring agreement and that "discussions with the broadcaster on the final version are ongoing."
In response, the Trump camp maintains that there is no reason to change the agreement made in June. Former President Trump told reporters on the 26th, "It doesn’t matter how it proceeds, but the agreement was to proceed the same way as the last debate," adding, "I didn’t like it, but it went reasonably well. Ask Biden too. I think the debate should proceed the same way." The next day, he emphasized on his Truth Social account that "the rules will be the same as the CNN debate, which suited everyone well."
The TV Debate That Made Biden Withdraw... Why They Are Fighting
Usually, U.S. presidential debates have been conducted with microphones on, allowing the two candidates to fiercely argue. In 2016, then-candidate Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton (former Secretary of State) were shown on broadcast constantly interrupting each other’s remarks. Trump repeatedly targeted his opponent’s weaknesses and launched harsh attacks throughout the debate, while Clinton tried to ignore but eventually responded, resulting in a real-time mudslinging fight.
The TV debate between U.S. President Joe Biden (right in the photo) and former President Donald Trump, broadcast live on CNN on June 27 [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]
The 2020 presidential debates between President Biden and former President Trump were chaotic as well. They continuously interrupted each other’s remarks to the point that neither could be heard clearly, and President Biden even told former President Trump, "Will you shut up?" during the debate.
The intense conflict over debate conditions stems from the significant influence on voters’ decisions. The first TV debate in June was a factor in Biden’s withdrawal as a candidate, changing the presidential race landscape. Especially after Vice President Harris entered the race, various polls showed former President Trump struggling, leading Harris to strengthen her momentum and Trump to fight fiercely for control to reverse the situation.
The reason the Harris camp is trying to eliminate microphone muting to change the existing agreement is likely because they believe former President Trump is prone to losing composure and making inappropriate remarks. Republican strategists are urging Trump to refrain from unnecessary comments and focus only on policy statements. The Harris camp expects that if any sexist, racist, or offensive remarks occur, it will damage Trump’s approval ratings.
Also, based on the 2020 TV debate experience, they believe Vice President Harris has a winning chance. At that time, Harris, running as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, successfully interrupted then-Vice President Mike Pence by raising her hand and saying, "Mr. Vice President, may I say something?" This moment became a meme on social media and generated souvenirs such as mugs and T-shirts, drawing significant public attention.
The Trump camp is unlikely to accept the Harris camp’s proposed changes to the debate rules easily. Recently, the Trump camp has been unable to devise measures to damage Vice President Harris’s approval ratings and is hoping to turn the situation around in the debate. Hugo Lowell, Washington DC correspondent for The Guardian, citing sources, reported, "Trump’s senior advisers are hoping to energize voters in next month’s presidential debate."
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