Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are scheduled to have a debate on September 10, with the potential for the former president’s mic to be left unmuted during their exchange. This decision comes after a rule was enacted during Joe Biden’s debate with Trump in June that muted a candidate’s mic when it was not their turn to speak. Harris is hoping to give Trump the chance to sabotage himself with insults and interruptions, which could help define the narrative of the campaign going forward.
The debate between Trump and Harris is crucial, especially for Trump, who has struggled to adapt to his opponent since the withdrawal of Biden. Trump’s campaign believes that Harris is not ready to handle policy questions and follow-ups from an opponent as aggressive as Trump. The confrontation may be Trump’s best chance to slow Harris’ momentum coming out of her convention, and both candidates have something to prove in the debate.
Harris’ campaign has been enjoying the opportunity to troll Trump, with a recent web video suggesting that Trump might back out of the debate. Visuals of Trump disrespecting a woman who could be the first Black female president could be damaging to his campaign. Harris has the chance to demonstrate strength in standing up to Trump, especially if he engages in behavior that is perceived as sexist or racist.
Trump’s camp is pushing back against the idea of leaving his mic unmuted, with some strategists urging him to stick to policy discussions instead of aggressive tactics. Harris would have the ability to fact-check Trump on the spot if his mic is left open, but there is also a risk that Trump could disrupt the flow of the debate as he did with Hillary Clinton in 2016.
In their previous debate, Kamala Harris famously shut down Mike Pence’s attempt to interrupt her by saying, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.” This moment resonated with many people and led to Harris gaining popularity. The disagreement over the debate terms for the upcoming showdown reveals ongoing tensions within the Trump campaign, with the candidate appearing to contradict his own team’s stance on whether the mics should be muted during the debate. Ultimately, the decision on whether the mics will be muted or left open could have significant implications for the outcome of the debate and the campaign as a whole.
