Trump is apparently considering backing out of the September 10 ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, whining on Truth Social Sunday evening about the “ABC FAKE NEWS” being biased.
According to several sources, there is an impasse between the Trump and Harris camps over whether or not the candidates’ microphones will be muted or not.
The Harris campaign does not want the microphones muted, while TFG’s handlers think it would benefit their candidate.
“Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own. We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button.”
Jason Miller, speaking for the Trump campaign as a senior advisor, is trying to call out the Harris camp for a switcheroo, insisting that the debate rules were already set for a microphone mute.
According to Miller, the Trump campaign accepted “the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate. The Harris camp, after having already agreed to the CNN rules, asked for a seated debate, with notes, and opening statements. We said no changes to the agreed upon rules.” Miller suggests that Harris is looking to get out of the debate.
- The Harris campaign never agreed to the CNN debate terms that Biden agreed to. When they accepted the ABC invitation, Harris campaign did so while making clear to the network that the rules themselves were up for debate.
- Trump has sought different debates, including with Fox News in front of a “full arena audience.”
- In 2020, Trump’s team had a hissy, insisting microphones remain on with Biden.
- Miller’s suggestion that Harris wanted a seated debate with notes is laughable.
From a Harris campaign senior advisor Brian Fallon, “All three parties (Trump, Harris and ABC) have agreed to standing and no notes, and we never sought otherwise,” he said. Another source familiar with the negotiations laughed when we asked if Harris ever asked to be seated, saying it wasn’t true.
