Vice President Kamala Harris’ team is adjusting to the rules for the upcoming debate after failing to secure changes they sought, particularly the removal of muted microphones—a feature they believe will “handcuff” her in a face-off against Donald Trump.
During the debates between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the Trump team agreed to rules set by Biden’s team, including having no audience and using muted microphones to limit interruptions. For the upcoming debate, Harris’ team aimed to revise these rules, particularly advocating for unmuted microphones. Their goal was to allow Harris to use her prosecutorial skills to confront Trump directly, similar to her style during Senate hearings, according to Politico.
Now, Harris’ team is worried the current rules will limit her ability to engage Trump effectively. “Trump’s worst moments in the debates are when he gets upset and snaps,” said a former aide from Harris’ 2020 campaign. “And they have neutered that.”
Harris’ strategy appears to involve recreating “gotcha” moments like those seen in the 2020 vice-presidential debate against Mike Pence. In that debate, she famously responded to an interruption by saying, “I am speaking,” portraying Pence as condescending to a female opponent.
However, some Democratic officials have downplayed