ABC News has declined to adopt Vice President Kamala Harris’ request to have wholly unmuted microphones during her Sept. 10 debate with former President Donald Trump — after days of wrangling over what Republicans viewed as Democratic attempts to lay a trap for the GOP nominee.
A network email reviewed by The NY Post lays out similar rules as those for Trump’s June 27 CNN debate against President Biden — including no audience, no pre-written notes or props and muted mics when a candidate is not speaking.
Trump and Harris will be standing on stage and will only be allowed to have a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
The Republican campaign had insisted the debate — set to be held at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center — follow the same rules as the June showdown with Biden.
A top Trump ally said ABC News had informed both campaigns in writing last week that it would employ the “CNN rules” and both had confirmed that Sept. 10 was a “go.”
The email seen by The Post was sent Tuesday by ABC News Chief Counsel Eric Lieberman. It reiterated the rules and asked the campaigns for their “formal acceptance.”
After The Post reported on the ABC News email Thursday, Harris spokesperson Brian Fallon said the Democrats “have been asked” to accept the Trump request to have the muted mics, but expressed frustration and said the Harris team remains “in discussions with ABC on the final rules.”
It was widely assumed that Harris wanted the microphones unmuted to deploy an interjectory line to garner viral buzz.
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