As the much awaited debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris approaches, a new controversy has emerged regarding the handling of the debate microphones. The campaigns are at odds over whether or not to mute the microphones when it's the other candidate's turn to speak during the debate scheduled for September 10th.
The Harris campaign has made it clear that they prefer both candidates' microphones to remain live throughout the entire debate. In a statement to CBS News, a US partner of the BBC, the Harris team emphasized the importance of an open and uninterrupted dialogue between the candidates.
On the other hand, the Trump campaign is reportedly pushing for the debate to follow the same rules that were in place when Joe Biden was the Democratic candidate. According to these rules, the microphones would be muted when a candidate isn't speaking, a measure that was enforced during a previous debate in June.
This disagreement highlights a growing tension as the former president, Donald Trump, has openly questioned the impartiality of the network hosting the debate. He has even suggested the possibility of skipping the debate altogether.
Before President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic party nominee, his campaign and Trump's campaign had agreed to participate in two debates. The first took place in June on CNN, and the second is set to air on ABC News this September. The Biden campaign had negotiated that microphones would be muted when a candidate was not speaking, a rule that was respected by both sides during the June debate.
However, with just 15 days left until the debate in Philadelphia, the Harris campaign is advocating for the microphones to remain "hot" throughout the entire event. This would allow both candidates to engage in real-time exchanges, potentially leading to interruptions and heated exchanges on stage.
"The vice president is ready to confront Trump’s constant lies and interruptions as they happen. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button," stated Brian Fallon, a senior communications adviser for the Harris campaign.
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