Trump, Harris Set to Face Off in Tightly-Scripted Presidential Debate

The stage is set for the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, scheduled for Tuesday, September 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Fox News reports.
The debate, hosted by ABC News, has sparked controversy even before it begins, with the rules generating debate among political analysts and commentators.
Fox News contributors have highlighted the strict format of the debate, which includes timed responses, muted microphones, and limited opportunity for unscripted interaction.
“Neither contender will be allowed to bring pre-written notes on stage, and there will be no opening statements from either party,” stated ABC News, adding that closing statements will be limited to 120 seconds.
Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins noted that the Trump campaign has already downplayed expectations for Harris’ performance, suggesting that this may be a strategic move to manage public perception.
“The Trump campaign offered her three debates, which is really out of respect for the American people and the voters [for candidates] to earn their vote on Election Day,” Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich said.
The debate format closely mirrors that of the first Trump-Biden debate in July, with mics for one candidate live at a time and the other’s muted until their turn to speak. This has led to concerns among some commentators, who believe it may limit spontaneity and meaningful engagement.
“She wants no part of that whatsoever,” said Fox News contributor Joe Concha, referring to Harris’ refusal to participate in a Fox News debate, which he attributes to her aversion to “germane, relevant, tough questions” from moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway expressed concern about the tightly controlled format, arguing that it gives Harris an unfair advantage.
“[It is] patently absurd to let [Harris] get to this point in the process, with no real interviews, with no real questions, no follow-up questions, and I anticipate that they will be very pleased with her performance, no matter what the performance is. And that’s a huge advantage that Democrats have over Republicans in this propaganda environment,” Hemingway said.