Vice President Kamala Harris‘ debate strategy has been disrupted due to one of the rules. The candidates will be muted while their opponents are speaking during her Tuesday night debate with former President Donald Trump.
What Happened: Harris’ team had initially planned to use her prosecutorial background as a tool to directly confront Trump during the debate.
However, the rules, which were negotiated by President Joe Biden‘s team earlier this summer, have necessitated a change in strategy. Harris’ team had hoped for that provision to be eliminated, with four officials from Harris’ campaign arguing that the rule will “handcuff” the Vice President.
While some Democrats have brushed off the Harris campaign’s concerns as gamesmanship, others feel that the rule change, coupled with her limited experience in national general election debates, could affect her performance.
According to a report by Politico, a Democratic strategist suggested that the muted microphones could potentially unsettle Harris or could be used to underscore Trump’s attempts to interrupt her.
Trump’s senior adviser, Jason Miller, expressed satisfaction that Harris’ team has “finally accepted the already agreed-upon rules of the debate.”
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"Americans want to hear both candidates present their competing visions to the voters, unburdened by what has been. No notes, no sitting down, no advance copies of the questions," he told the outlet.
However, there is ongoing discontent among some of Harris’ aides over inheriting these rules, as they consider her a more formidable debater than Biden.
Despite the discontent, Harris’ senior communications adviser, Brian Fallon, told ABC News that the Vice President would reluctantly accept the original rules, including the muted microphones.
He contended that the rule “will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President.”
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“The rule will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President. We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign's insistence on muted microphones," Fallon said.
"Trump's worst moments in the debates are when he gets upset and snaps," said an aide to Harris in her 2020 presidential campaign. "And they have neutered that."
Why It Matters: The change in debate rules could significantly impact the dynamics of the upcoming debate. Harris’ team will need to revise their strategy to adapt to the new rules, which could potentially limit her ability to directly confront Trump.
The muted microphones could either hinder Harris’ performance or serve to highlight Trump’s attempts to interrupt her.
The reaction to these changes from both campaigns will be crucial to watch as the debate approaches.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
