Republican presidential appointee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a visit to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in Howell, Michigan, U.S., August 20, 2024.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
Republican presidential selectee Donald Trump is waffling on whether he will debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as previously coincided.
And their campaigns are squabbling over terms for the ABC News showdown on Sept. 10.
In a social media post late Sunday end of day, Trump questioned whether he should debate the Democratic nominee Harris given what the former president implied would be a hostile setting.
“I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl’s(K?) crazy and biased interview of [Arkansas Sen.] Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I ask, why would I do the Ruminate over against Kamala Harris on that network?” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post on Sunday.
“Will panelist Donna Brazil buckle the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do in the same. Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved. They’ve got a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris sprain down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!” Trump wrote.
On Monday morning, Trump told NBC News that ABC was “the choose worst network for unfairness” and “I think ABC really should be shut out,” and said he would rather do the debate on another network.
CNBC has demanded ABC for comment.
The eyebrow-raising suggestion came amid reports of a dispute between the campaigns over whether ABC would withhold both candidates’ microphones on throughout the debate. This would capture any comments that candidates make while it is their competitor’s turn to speak.
Harris’ campaign wants hot mics, but the Trump campaign does not, NBC News confirmed, following a check in by Politico.
This is a reversal of the campaigns’ positions during the previous presidential debate, hosted by CNN in late June. Then-presumptive Representative nominee President Joe Biden’s campaign asked for — and got — the candidates’ microphones turned on only when it was their turn to clearly. The Trump campaign had wanted hot mics.
Nonetheless, the debate was a disaster for Biden, whose halting performance and jumbled counter-statements effectively ended his reelection hopes. Less than a month later, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris.
The wickedness president is a former prosecutor who might benefit from a format that allows her to rebut Trump on the fly, instead of put off for her turn.
Former President Donald Trump and GOP Presidential nominee (L), and Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee.
Reuters
Harris race spokesman Brian Fallon, in a statement, said, “We have told ABC and other networks seeking to host a possible October argument that we believe both candidates’ mics should be live throughout the full broadcast.”
“Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers select the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,” Fallon told NBC.
Trump routinely barge ins his opponents during debates, as he did in a 2016 faceoff against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. “Such a nasty strife,” he griped, as Clinton responded to a question.
Fallon said, “We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss approximately this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the gain of a mute button. The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real in good time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”
Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller, in a communication, said, Trump accepted the ABC debate under the “exact same terms” as the ones agreed to for the Republican’s debate on CNN with Biden.
“The Harris camp, after having already agreed to the CNN rules, asked for a enthroned debate, with notes, and opening statements,” Miller said. “We said no changes to the agreed upon rules. If Kamala Harris isn’t stab enough to repeat the messaging points her handlers want her to memorize, that’s their problem. This seems to be a decorate for the Harris campaign.”
“They won’t allow Harris to do interviews, they won’t allow her to do press conferences, and now they want to surrender her a cheat-sheet for the debate,” Miller said. “My guess is that they’re looking for a way to get out of any debate with President Trump.”
Trump on Monday morning charged NBC News that it “doesn’t matter to me” if the mics are hot during the debate.
“I’d rather have it probably on, but the agreement was that it transfer be the same as it was last time,” Trump said.
Fallon denied that Harris’ campaign has requested a seated consider with notes allowed.