The rules were first published, and probably the only ones. discussion It’s a match between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, who are scheduled to face each other on Tuesday. National Constitution Center, Philadelphia A showdown that could determine the direction of the rest of the presidential campaign is underway.
discussion Starts at 9pm ET And ABC News is the network that’s hosting it. There’s no live audience, no opening remarks. According to the rules It was released on the network last week.
Candidates will be given two minutes to answer questions, two minutes to rebut, and an additional minute for follow-up and explanation. Both candidates will also be given up to two minutes to make closing statements at the end.
Harris and Trump can’t ask each other questions. Only the moderators (ABC’s David Muir and Lindsey Davis) can ask questions.
The debate will last 90 minutes and include two commercial breaks.
Applicants will not be allowed to bring any pre-written notes or props onto the stage, and will not be given topics or questions in advance.
ABC is allowing other television networks to simulcast the debate. CBS News will air the entire debate on CBS television stations and streaming networks. CBS News 24/7The discussion is followed by analysis.
The debate marks the first time Harris and Trump have met face-to-face.
Microphone for discussion
There was We had a fight last month A debate between Harris and the Trump campaign over whether to mute candidates’ microphones when it is not their turn to speak. First discussionTrump and Biden’s microphones were muted at the Biden campaign’s request.
In a letter to ABC News, the Harris campaign requested the change to allow for an open mic, saying Harris was “fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which would prevent Donald Trump from speaking directly to the Vice President.”
The Harris campaign said the Trump campaign insisted on muting the microphone, but Trump said on August 26 that “it doesn’t matter to me.”
“It probably would have been better to leave it on, but we agreed to the same thing last time,” Trump said. “In that case, we muted it. I didn’t like it last time, but it worked out.”
that The Harris camp agreed. I ended up muting the mic.
The Harris campaign also told CBS News that they were assured that if there was significant crosstalk between the candidates, the microphones would be unmuted. A candidate who constantly interrupts an opponent would be alerted by the moderator, and the remarks would be relayed to the audience. And if the microphones did not capture the exchange, a group of reporters in the room could report on what was noteworthy.
Prepare notes and discussion
The campaigns took different approaches to preparing for the debate. Harris traveled to Pittsburgh on Sept. 5 and spent time there focusing on strategy, a senior campaign official said. Harris planned to pepper Trump with questions, but her campaign feared that microphone restrictions would hamper her ability to communicate most effectively with the former president, forcing her to find a new approach.
The vice president is practicing extended mock debates in an effort to focus on policy and contrast with the former president. A former Hillary Clinton aide played Trump in preparation for the mock 2016 debate with Clinton and is playing Trump again in this session, with the aide dressed like Trump, according to a source. Harris is also practicing on a stage with lights to replicate the debate environment, a source familiar with the preparations told CBS News.
Harris has participated in several Democratic debates leading up to the 2020 primary, but this is her first presidential debate, while Trump is in his seventh. “I’ve been preparing for this debate my whole life,” Trump said on “Good Morning New Hampshire” last week.
“So, you know, I do. I have meetings about it,” Trump added. “We talk about it, but there’s not much you can do about it.”
CBS News, citing sources familiar with the former president’s preparations, reported that Trump has been discussing policy positions with advisers ahead of the debate, but described his preparations as somewhat informal and involving conversations with voters and the press.
Closing Statement
On September 3, a virtual coin toss took place, and the candidate who won the coin toss could choose the closing statement or the order of the podium. According to ABC News, Trump won the coin toss and chose the order of the statements. The former president chose to make the final closing statement.
Podium layout and candidate stage positions
After the coin toss, Harris was able to choose where to stand. She chose the podium on the right side of the screen, ABC News reported.
The rules state that the candidates must stand behind the podium during the debate “time,” a rule that may remind viewers of the 2016 debate between Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, when Trump left the stage to stay near Clinton, which some viewers saw as an intimidation tactic.
Aaron Navarro, Kaia Hubbard and Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report.
