Vice-President Kamala Harris campaign mocked Donald Trump’s campaign request that microphones remain muted during the upcoming ABC News debate next month, saying it shows that the former president’s “handlers” do not believe he can “act presidential for 90 minutes on his own.”
For the Sept. 10, ABC News-hosted debate, the Trump campaign suggested that they adopt the same rules as the June debate on CNN with President Joe Biden, including muting each candidate’s microphone when it’s not their turn to speak.
Harris campaign, however, has noted it was not the party that agreed to those rules and has pushed for microphones to be left open at all times.
In a statement on Monday, Harris campaign spokesperson Brian Fallon said the move by Trump’s team is an attempt by his “handlers” to avoid “embarrassment.”
“We have told ABC and other networks seeking to host a possible October debate that we believe both candidates’ mics should be live throughout the full broadcast,” Fallon said in the statement. “Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own.
“We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button,” he added. “The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”
However, senior Trump adviser Jason Miller claimed that Harris camp asking for microphones to remain open during the debate is actually an attempt by her team to dodge the debates.
“This seems to be a pattern for the Harris campaign,” Miller said in a statement. “They won’t allow Harris to do interviews, they won’t allow her to do press conferences, and now they want to give her a cheat-sheet for the debate. My guess is that they’re looking for a way to get out of any debate with President Trump.”
But it is Trump who appears to be trying to weasel his way out of debating Harris.
On Sunday he slammed the panelists on ABC News’ broadcast of “This Week,” and host Jonathan Karl’s interview with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
“I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl’s(K?) ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I ask, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump continued: “Will panelist Donna Brazil give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise. Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved. They’ve got a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!”
