Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have an interesting face-off in store for us on September 10th! For the very first time, Vice President Kamala Harris has signed off on all rules for her debate against Donald Trump.
But man, I'm kinda surprised Harris caved on this one. Her team was fighting tooth and nail against having the mics cut off, likely because they felt it would put Trump at an advantage, but clearly, they bit the bullet rather than run the risk of Trump pulling out completely.
I see both sides to this whole business of muting the mic.
On the one hand, it will keep things a little more orderly and prevent constant interruptions. Lord knows we have seen just how chaotic these debates can get! But on the other hand, maybe it will suppress those impromptu moments that reveal the candidate's true character.
Now, how would this play out for each candidate?
Harris is known for her sharp debating skills, so you'd think she'd want every chance to interject and challenge Trump. But maybe her team is banking on a more controlled environment to showcase her presidential demeanor.
It's always a wildcard with Trump.
He was fine with the idea of the unmuted mics at first, probably he thought he would dominate the conversation. Now he's complaining that ABC is treating him unfairly. That's classic Trump right there.
This will be must-see TV:
With no live audience in the room and strict new rules, it all might come down to how the two handle pressure. Can Harris score some zingers while staying in her corner? Can Trump stick to the message when he's off the clock?
I'm also interested to see how they work in the commercial breaks.
Needless to say, there is no talking with the teams, so out-of-the-gate thinking will be necessary. May be pretty revealing if one of them gets rattled either way.
At the end of the day this format might be good for voters. We could get a better picture of where each candidate stands without all the theatrics involved. Furthermore, it would test their ability to speak within bounds, a pretty important skill for a president, if you ask me.
So mark your calendars, one and all!
