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.
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.”