It looks like Vice President Kamala Harris’s team had some concerns about the setup for tonight’s debate, especially given her height compared to Donald Trump. Reports suggest that her campaign initially requested a seated debate, followed by a request for a stool or riser to stand on. However, ABC News rejected both of these requests.
The Harris campaign reportedly wanted these changes to avoid any visual disparity, but the Trump campaign pushed back, insisting that the debate follow the same rules as the previous one, which included standing and no notes. ABC ultimately sided with Trump’s camp, maintaining that both candidates would stand during the debate.
It was once believed that the taller person in a debate had a historic advantage, as American’s perception of strength is often biased toward height. Many perceive short people as weaker or not as capable.
While these negotiations may hint at Harris’s concerns about optics, they don’t appear to have derailed the debate itself, and the rules remain unchanged. So, whether her height becomes a noticeable issue remains to be seen!