The Kamala Harris campaign faced intense criticism Thursday after it was revealed that the campaign attempted to alter the rules for the upcoming debate against President Donald Trump. The Harris team allegedly pushed back against ABC News’ established debate rules, which include muting candidates’ microphones while their opponents speak.
According to reports, ABC News Chief Counsel Eric Lieberman had already communicated the debate guidelines to both campaigns, confirming that the September 10 debate would follow the same format as the June CNN debate. These rules included standing candidates with muted microphones, no notes, and no audience presence.
However, Harris campaign spokesperson Brian Fallon sparked controversy by suggesting that the Trump campaign insisted on keeping the microphones muted because they were concerned about Trump’s performance in a live, unmuted debate. Fallon’s comments suggested that the Harris team was being pressured to comply with these rules despite their objections.
The response online was swift and harsh. Ben Shapiro, Editor Emeritus of The Daily Wire, accused the Harris campaign of cowardice, tweeting, “Stop trying to manufacture excuses to avoid debates.” John Podhoretz, editor of Commentary Magazine, also weighed in, stating that Harris’ spokesperson was “paid to be dishonest and disingenuous.”
The incident has cast a shadow over the upcoming debate, with accusations that the Harris campaign is trying to avoid a head-to-head confrontation with Trump under fair conditions. As both campaigns gear up for the debate, the issue of debate rules has become a contentious point, drawing widespread public attention.
