Vice President Kamala Harris is set to break her media silence this week, agreeing to her first formal interview since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.
According to The Daily Wire, Harris will be joined by her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, for a sit-down with CNN anchor Dana Bash on Thursday.
The interview comes nearly 40 days after Harris became the de facto Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden's exit from the 2024 race. The vice president has faced criticism for avoiding media appearances and press conferences since assuming the role of presumptive nominee. The interview is expected to be pre-taped and will air on CNN at 9:00 p.m. ET.
The Trump campaign has been quick to respond to the news of Harris' upcoming interview. They posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the length of time it has taken for Harris to agree to an interview and questioning the format.
The Trump campaign stated:
On Thursday — 39 days since being installed as the Democrat nominee — Kamala will sit for her first formal interview* **
*Joint, since she's not competent enough to do it on her own. **Taped, so her handlers have time to play damage control.
The choice of CNN's Dana Bash as the interviewer has also drawn attention. Bash has been accused of showing bias in favor of Democrats in her reporting. Critics point to recent instances where Bash appeared to defend the Biden-Harris administration's actions while criticizing former President Trump.
One such example occurred when Bash attempted to shift blame away from the current administration regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal, instead focusing on Trump's role. Additionally, Bash praised President Biden for what she called "a mic-drop moment" when he criticized Trump over the release of American hostages in Russia, despite the criticism being based on inaccurate information.
The vice president's past media appearances have sometimes resulted in awkward moments that have created additional challenges for her public image. A particularly notable instance occurred in a 2021 interview with NBC's Lester Holt when Harris was questioned about not visiting the southern border despite being tasked with addressing immigration issues.
When confronted about not visiting the border, Harris responded: "And I haven't been to Europe. And I mean, I don't – I don't understand the point that you're making."
This exchange was widely criticized and has been frequently cited as an example of Harris' difficulties in handling media interviews, even with networks generally considered friendly to Democrats.
The upcoming interview with CNN marks a significant moment in Harris' campaign strategy. It comes after she promised in early August to have her team schedule an interview "before the end of the month," with August's final day falling on Saturday. This timing suggests an effort to fulfill that promise, albeit just under the wire.
The joint nature of the interview, with Governor Walz accompanying Harris, has also raised questions about the vice president's readiness to face the media alone. Critics argue that this format may be an attempt to provide additional support and potentially deflect challenging questions away from Harris.
Vice President Kamala Harris' upcoming interview with CNN's Dana Bash represents her first major media appearance since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. The interview, which will include her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, has already drawn criticism from the Trump campaign regarding its format and timing. Questions about the impartiality of the interviewer and Harris' ability to handle challenging questions persist. As the 2024 campaign intensifies, this interview may set the tone for Harris' media strategy moving forward.
