Trump Questions ABC's Fairness
Trump accused ABC News, the network hosting the September 10 debate, of biased coverage, questioning why he should debate Harris on that platform.
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Previously, Joe Biden, before being replaced by Harris, had agreed with Trump that there would be no live audience, and microphones would only be on for the candidate speaking.
Differing Debate Strategies
Biden’s team believed this setup would limit Trump’s ability to dominate and potentially disrupt the debate, as he did during their first encounter in the 2020 election.
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However, Harris’ campaign has a different perspective. They believe that allowing Trump to speak without restrictions could alienate undecided voters and work in their favor.
Harris Campaign Pushes for Open Mics in Upcoming Debate
Brian Fallon, a senior adviser to Harris, told Politico, “We have informed ABC and other networks interested in hosting a potential October debate that we believe both candidates’ microphones should remain on throughout the broadcast.”
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“Our understanding is that Trump’s team prefers muted microphones because they doubt their candidate can maintain a presidential demeanor for 90 minutes.”
Trump Team Rejects Changes to Debate Rules
Trump’s advisers have expressed their opposition to any changes in the agreed-upon rules. Jason Miller, a senior Trump aide, stated, “Enough with the games. We accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.”
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Miller also claimed that the Harris campaign requested additional changes, such as allowing the candidates to be seated, use notes, and deliver opening statements, which he said were rejected.
Harris Campaign Denies Requests for Debate Rule Changes
These claims were strongly denied by Harris’ team.
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Fallon clarified to Politico that all parties had agreed to stand and not use notes during the debate, and the Harris campaign never sought otherwise.
Trump Cites Network Bias
The upcoming ABC debate is the only one both campaigns have agreed upon, but Trump has cast doubt on his participation in a social media post on Sunday.
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He questioned why he should debate Harris on ABC, accusing the network of biased coverage and expressing frustration with their reporting.
Lack of Interviews from Harris
Trump’s team has also criticized Harris for not holding an interview since becoming the Democratic candidate, despite promising to do so by the end of August.
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Miller speculated that the Harris campaign might be looking for a way to avoid any debates.
Battleground States
Meanwhile, Trump is intensifying his campaign efforts in battleground states.
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Polls show Harris holding a narrow lead in several key states.
Harris Not Holding Back
Harris has adopted an aggressive campaign schedule, including a bus tour through Georgia.
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She is making this effort to outpace the 78-year-old Trump.
Trump to Ramp Up Campaign
In response, Trump has announced a series of events in an attempt to counter Harris’ strategy, with plans for daily appearances as the election approaches.
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He is expected to meet with service members in Michigan and continue campaigning in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania later in the week.
“Trump on Steroids”
One Trump adviser described the heightened campaign activity as “Trump on steroids.”
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This signals an all-out effort in the final stretch of the election.