ABC may do what they can to help Harris in the debate: rule changes?

"I'm talking. I'm talking."

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, is scheduled to debate former President Donald Trump next week. While Harris has been ducking reporters [who seem to have little concern about it] if she actually shows up for the debate, she will not be able to duck scrutiny over the past three-and-a-half years in the Biden-Harris administration. Of course, it's also possible that Trump will not agree to the demands the Harris people make, such as having an open mic, debate while sitting, and having notes to refer to when the going gets factual.

However, for now, Harris begrudgingly accepted the rules but was clear that she wasn't happy about the rules, even though they were the same rules laid out by her boss and which Trump accepted.

“Vice President Harris, a former prosecutor, will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President," Brian Fallon, senior communications adviser for the Harris campaign, wrote in a letter to ABC News Wednesday. "We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign’s insistence on muted microphones."

Of course Harris would be at a disadvantage. She won't be able to say to Trump, "I'm speaking. I'm speaking," and Trump will be forced to keep it toned down by not being able to interrupt her. Yes, that is to his advantage, but it was agreed to by him when "Mumbles" Biden laid it out.

Finally, ABC News announced the debate rules on Wednesday, acknowledging that both campaigns had agreed to them.

Microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate. Only the moderators will be permitted to ask questions and you know the tough ones will be directed at Trump.

A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday to determine the podium placement and the order of closing statements; former President Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen, i.e., stage left.

There will be no opening statements, and closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.

Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer each question with a two-minute rebuttal, and an additional minute for a follow-up, clarification, or response.

Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate and no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. Each candidate will be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water. Harris, therefore, will denied a bottle of wine.

Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.

But wait . . . CNN reports that ABC News may bend the rules to help Kamala during the debate, which should come as no surprise. According to the CNN source, who of course will remain anonymous, said that ABC has assured the Harris campaign that if there is "significant cross talk" between the candidates, they might turn on the microphones so the public can hear the big, bad orange man attack sweet Kamala and hear her say, 'I'm speaking. I'm speaking."

The moderator would supposedly discourage either candidate from interrupting constantly and the moderator would also work to explain to viewers what is being said, which will be to Harris' advantage when it comes from the mouth of a Democratic ABC moderator.

Pool reporters, overwhelmingly Democrats, can "report" on what they hear both sides saying, and will also be in the room, the anonymous source added.

ABC News, however, denies this. A spokes-Democrat told CNN, “Beyond the debate rules published today, which were mutually agreed upon by two campaigns on May 15th, we have made no other agreements."

Let's hope this is true, but I'm not betting on it since a top honcho at ABC News, Dana Walden, is a longtime friend and big donor of Harris. She first met Harris in 1994 and their husbands Matt Walden and Doug "I Screwed the Nanny" Emhoff, have known each other since the 1980s, the New York Times reported in August.

“In many ways, Dana and Matt are responsible for my marriage,” Ms. Harris joked at a fund-raiser in April 2022 at the Waldens’ home in Brentwood, a wealthy Los Angeles enclave where Ms. Harris and Mr. Emhoff also own a residence. The Waldens, Vice President Harris explained, set up a couple who in turn had set her up with Mr. Emhoff on a blind date.

So you know how fair and balanced the debate rules are going to be.

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