Why Harris wants to unmute Trump

“Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.”

This line from Kamala Harris during her 2020 debate with then-Vice President Mike Pence aptly captures the latest development in her forthcoming clash with Donald Trump.

While many Democrats feel they've heard more than enough from the Republican nominee, Harris is eager to let him speak freely during their scheduled debate on ABC News on September 10.

The vice president’s team is working to overturn a rule set by President Joe Biden’s team for their debate with Trump in June, which muted candidates' microphones when it wasn't their turn to speak. This rule aimed to prevent Trump’s frequent interruptions during the 2020 debates, which led Biden to exclaim, “Will you shut up, man?”

Harris’s campaign seems intent on giving Trump the opportunity to potentially undermine himself with interruptions or his abrasive demeanor.

Trump’s team is pushing back, though Trump himself seemed to undermine his own side by indicating he wouldn’t mind losing the mute button.

This disagreement highlights the critical nature of the upcoming debate in shaping the campaign narrative, especially after a decisive presidential debate on CNN in late June that effectively knocked Biden out of the race.

For Trump, who has struggled to adjust to the new dynamics since Biden’s withdrawal — a candidate Republicans felt confident about defeating — this debate could be crucial. It represents a chance to counteract Harris’s momentum from her Chicago convention and challenge her ability to handle Trump’s aggressive style.

“Trump needs to debate. Harris needs to debate,” said Scott Jennings, a Republican CNN political analyst. “They both have something to prove.”

The contentious exchanges between the campaigns on Monday underscore Harris’s growing role in the campaign, where her team enjoys taunting Trump — the ultimate political provocateur. They even released a video featuring footage of Trump accompanied by the sound of a clucking chicken, suggesting he might back out of the debate. Additionally, Harris’s aides hinted that Trump’s “handlers” hadn’t discussed the mic issue with him.

An open mic would test Trump’s self-discipline, particularly at a time when GOP strategists are urging him to focus on policy rather than his usual combative style.

Visuals of Trump talking over and disrespecting Harris, who could become the first Black woman president, would be telling. Harris could use the opportunity to show her strength and repeat her memorable line from the Pence debate. Trump’s behavior could alienate crucial voters if it appears sexist or racially charged.

The imagery of Trump’s obnoxious behavior would play into the Harris campaign’s narrative, which she sharpened during the Democratic Convention: that Americans have a “fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past.”

“The Vice President wants the American people to see an unfiltered Donald Trump because that’s what we would get if he became president again,” said Harris campaign spokesman Ian Sams. “It’s important that the American people see the choice between the two candidates on stage.”

However, advocating for open mics is not without risk for Harris. In 2016, Trump frequently interrupted Hillary Clinton during their debate, which, while unflattering, did not prevent him from winning the election.

Maria Cardona, a CNN political commentator, suggested another reason Harris might favor open mics. “Unmuted mics would allow her to control her responses and fact-check Trump in real time,” Cardona said.

In her 2020 debate with Pence, conducted virtually due to the pandemic, Harris’s insistence on being heard with her line, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking,” became a viral moment, symbolizing her resistance to interruptions and boosting her public persona with related memes and merchandise.

The debate over the September 10 debate rules reveals the familiar tensions within Trump’s campaign. Staff prefer muted microphones, according to a source, and senior Trump adviser Jason Miller claimed the ex-president accepted the ABC debate under the same terms as the CNN one with Biden. Miller suggested the shift in Harris’s position indicated trouble in her debate preparation. “Even their own campaign spokesman said the debate about debates was over. Clearly, they’re seeing something they don’t like,” Miller said.

Trump, however, seemed to contradict his team’s stance by expressing no strong preference for the mute rule. “It doesn’t matter to me, I’d probably rather have it on, but the agreement was everyone be the same as it was last time,” Trump said at a Virginia campaign stop. “In that case, it was muted. I didn’t like it the last time, but it worked out fine.”

He added, “We agreed to the same rules. Same rules, same specifications. And I think that’s probably what it should be.”

Harris’s team quickly seized on Trump’s comments, with Sams stating on CNN that the ex-president had effectively resolved the mic issue in favor of open mics.

“We heard from the horse’s mouth,” he said.