Harris-Trump debate

The only presidential debate agreed to by Kamala Harris will air at 9 p.m. ET for 90 minutes from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis are slated to moderate the debate, which will be broadcast by the network and all major media.

Excerpted from an Associated Press report at NY Post:

Headline: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris debate prep strategies revealed: Here’s how each candidate is gearing up for their ultimate showdown

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are veering sharply in how they gear up for Tuesday’s presidential debate, setting up a showdown that reflects not just two separate visions for the country but two politicians who approach big moments very differently.

The vice president is cloistered in a historic hotel in downtown Pittsburgh where she can focus on honing crisp two-minute answers, per the debate’s rules. She’s been working with aides since Thursday and chose a venue that allows the Democratic nominee the option of mingling with swing-state voters.

Trump, the Republican nominee, publicly dismisses the value of studying for the debate. The former president is choosing instead to fill his days with campaign-related events on the premise that he’ll know what he needs to do once he steps on the debate stage at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

From an NPR (National Public Radio) report section:  What are the rules for the debate?

The debate rules echo those agreed on for the June matchup [Trump v. Biden]. That means microphones will once again be muted unless a candidate is speaking, something the Harris team asked to change for this debate.

It’s a rule initially proposed by the Biden campaign ahead of the first debate and was largely seen as a potential shake-up to Trump’s typical debate style. Instead, it ended up benefiting the former president, who has a history of interrupting in these settings to the point of his campaign’s detriment. Instead, the technical change helped Trump appear more controlled.

Harris’ campaign told ABC that Harris would be disadvantaged by the muted mics because it would shield Trump from direct exchanges — but said that it would agree to the terms lest Trump drop out of the debate altogether.

A [Harris] campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private negotiations, said that a pool [of reporters] would be on hand to hear what the candidates are saying into muted microphones — and that if there is “significant crosstalk,” the network may unmute both microphones. The moderator will warn candidates to stop frequent interruptions, the official said. “Our understanding of these things helped inform our decision to accept muted mics,” the official said.

There will be no audience and candidates will not be permitted to question each other directly. In addition, neither will be allowed to bring pre-written notes or props onto the debate stage.

Excerpted from CBS News reports – What we know about the debate structure so far:

During the debate, the candidates will have two minutes to answer questions and for rebuttals, along with an extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications or responses, ABC outlined. No props or pre-written notes are permitted onstage but the candidates will have a pen, notepad and bottle of water at their lecterns.

The candidates will have two minutes to deliver closing statements, and Trump will deliver the final statement after winning a coin toss, ABC said. There will be no opening statements.

What topics are on the table for the debate?

Any topic is on the table. The network has not revealed potential topics and isn’t expected to.