The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Tuesday it will mute the microphones of President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden during their opponent’s designated response times on Thursday in the second and final debate.
At the beginning of the six segments of the debate, each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer an initial question, during which time the opposing candidate’s microphone will be muted.
“Under the agreed upon debate rules, each candidate is to have two minutes of uninterrupted time to make remarks at the beginning of each 15 minute segment of the debate. These remarks are to be followed by a period of open discussion,” the commission said in a statement. “Both campaigns this week again reaffirmed their agreement to the two-minute, uninterrupted rule.”
The statement added: “The Commission is announcing today that in order to enforce this agreed upon rule, the only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules. For the balance of each segment, which by design is intended to be dedicated to open discussion, both candidates’ microphones will be open.”
