Politics

Trump and Harris Settle Debate Format After Heated Dispute

Thursday 05 September 2024 - 09:25

In a significant development ahead of the first scheduled presidential debate, ABC News confirmed the ground rules following a contentious disagreement between United States Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump. The debate, set for September 10, had been clouded by uncertainty due to a clash over whether the candidates’ microphones should remain on throughout the event.

The dispute was resolved with both parties agreeing to have the microphones muted when it was the other candidate’s turn to speak. This decision followed concerns raised by the Harris campaign, which initially pushed for live microphones to address what they described as Trump’s tendency for "constant lies and interruptions." Harris’s team expressed that while they felt disadvantaged by the compromise, they did not wish to jeopardize the opportunity for a public debate.

Trump, who had indicated he might keep his microphone on, ultimately accepted the agreed format, mirroring previous debate arrangements with now-retired President Joe Biden, who had similarly demanded muted microphones during his debates with Trump. The 90-minute event will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and will be conducted without an audience. Trump won a virtual coin toss, granting him the closing statement and positioning him on the left side of the screen.

The resolution of the microphone debate marks a step forward for an event that had been in question for weeks. The outcome of this first head-to-head could set the tone for the rest of the campaign, as Harris and Trump vie for the presidency amidst a polarized political landscape.

With this agreement in place, attention now shifts to the candidates' performances and the topics likely to dominate the conversation, from economic recovery to foreign policy. Both campaigns are preparing to leverage this platform to make their cases to the American people.