US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will face each other for the first time on Tuesday, and both will be looking to gain an edge in the fiercely contested race for the White House.
After weeks of debate over where, when and how the debate would take place, US broadcaster ABC – which is hosting the event – this week announced final rules for the contest, agreed between the two campaigns.
The main points are as follows.
When and where?
The debate will take place at 9:00 pm local time on Tuesday (0100 GMT on Wednesday) at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and will be broadcast live. There will be no spectators in the room.
The event will be hosted by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis and will feature a 90-minute debate, with two ad breaks.
Muted mics?
The issue of whether microphones would be muted – as was done during the previous debate between US President Joe Biden and Trump – was a contentious issue, with each side accusing the other of cowardice.
ABC announced that each candidate’s microphone would only be on when it was his or her turn to speak, and would be muted when it was another candidate’s turn to speak.
Only the moderator will be allowed to ask questions and no topic or question will be shared with the candidates in advance.
Who speaks when?
Candidates will not make opening statements. They will be given two minutes to answer each question, while their opponent will be given two minutes for a rebuttal.
According to the rules, an additional minute will be given for “follow-up action, clarification or response.”
At the end of the debate, each candidate will deliver a two-minute closing statement, with Trump speaking last depending on the result of a virtual coin flip.
no support
Candidates will stand behind a podium throughout the debate, with no equipment or pre-written notes allowed.
Trump and Harris will each be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
Campaign staff will not be permitted to talk or interact with candidates during advertising breaks.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)