WASHINGTON:
The campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris clashed on Monday over next month’s US presidential debate, with the vice president’s team seeking to return to open mics and her Republican rival threatening to pull out altogether, suggesting ABC previously agreed was discriminatory.
“Why Debate Kamala Harris on This Network?” Trump, who is making his third bid for the White House, wrote in a social media post late Sunday night that he also accused the network of bias. “Stay tuned!!!”
Harris spokesman Brian Fallon said Monday the vice president’s campaign wanted the broadcaster to keep the candidates’ microphones on throughout the event, not mute when their opponent spoke as in the last presidential debate. So-called “hot mics” can help or hurt political candidates by capturing spontaneous comments that were sometimes not intended for the public.
“The VP is ready to take on Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button,” Fallon said in a statement.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller said in a statement that they had already agreed to the same terms as CNN’s muted June debate, adding: “We said there are no changes to the agreed rules”.
But Trump later told reporters he preferred to keep his microphone on, adding that he didn’t like the silence last time and that he wasn’t preparing much for the showdown with his new opponent.
“It doesn’t matter to me. I’d rather have it, probably. But the deal was that it would be the same as it was last time,” Trump said.
“I don’t spend a lot of time on it. I think my whole life I’ve been preparing for a debate,” Trump added. “You can’t cram knowledge into your head, because you know, 30 years of knowledge in a week. So, you know, there’s a little bit of preparation for a debate, but I’ve always done it more or less the same way.”
ABC representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harris secured the Democratic nomination after President Joe Biden resigned last month and had said they would hold the Sept. 10 debate hosted by ABC News that Biden and Trump had previously agreed to.
Biden had pushed for earlier debates, hoping to boost his campaign and shine a brighter light on Trump. But his own halting performance in the June 27 showdown caused alarm in his party, with him ending his re-election bid weeks later.
Trump had started another debate hosted by Fox News on Sept. 4, which he later said would be a televised town hall with just him and host Sean Hannity. Harris’ campaign said no.
Vice presidential candidates Republican US Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are scheduled to debate Oct. 1 on CBS News.
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