Tech

The tiny Trump-Harris debate stage is making people uncomfortable

Why is it so small?

Photo of Marlon Ettinger

Marlon Ettinger

debate stage

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are debating tonight for the first time.

It’s the first time the pair have met, and the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden dropped out following his disastrous debate performance at the end of June.

The pair are meeting in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center—and the setting for the debate is raising eyebrows. 

It’s a dark blue stage filled with panels with excerpts from the Constitution and the Declaration of the Independence, bathed in shimmering blue light, producing an effect that posters are comparing to an underwater tableau, a combat sport octagon, and Hades’ underworld from the Disney movie Hercules.

“The ABC debate stage theme: Under the Sea!” posted @awzurcher.

“Why does the Trump and Harris debate stage look like Hades’ underworld,” asked @SpencerGilbard.

Other posters just thought the stage looked cool, which it kind of does.

“the debate stage goes hard af not gonna lie,” posted @zeepsterd.

But many posters wondered why the stage was so small. There’s no audience in front of the candidates, and plenty of people pointed out the cramped setting.

“WHY ARE THEY STANDING INNA TINY TINY ROOM THEYRE GONNA FIGHT LIKE BOXING STYLE,” asked @lyrics2jesus.

“The debate room looks so small, wow,” added @actualminerva.


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