Tuesday morning, a veteran CNN host issued a biting indictment of Vice President Kamala Harris’s glaring absence from the media. The former host, who spent more than 10 years working for CNN, attacked Harris for not wanting to interact with big media, in contrast to some of her predecessors who were more approachable to the media.
Chris Cillizza brought attention to the Vice President’s concerning lack of comment since her official nomination on his X account: “It’s been 23 days since Joe Biden ended his candidacy. It’s been 7 days since Kamala Harris was formally named the Democratic presidential nominee. She has yet to sit for an interview with ANY media outlet. And she has answered less than 5 total questions from the press.”
It’s been 23 days since Joe Biden ended his candidacy.
It’s been 7 days since Kamala Harris was formally named the Democratic presidential nominee.
She has yet to sit for an interview with ANY media outlet.
And she has answered less than 5 total questions from the press.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) August 13, 2024
The media impasse occurs during a pivotal moment in US politics. Not one to back down from the limelight, the former president Donald Trump took advantage of this and had a widely reported interview with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of X. Over the course of the more than two-hour conversation, Trump easily answered a number of questions and took advantage of the chance to disparage Harris’s views on immigration and the economy.
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Given her prominence and the media’s interest in her, Harris is able to quickly set up a sit-down interview with a major TV network or newspaper—probably in less than an hour or two.
While Trump’s conversation with Musk demonstrated his willingness to use media outlets to further his political narrative, the lack of Harris has left journalists feeling confused and irritated. This has raised concerns about her stance on accountability and transparency, two important issues that voters take into account before casting their ballot.
When Harris officially becomes the party’s nominee at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago the following week, she will be looking to keep up her media-dominating ways. Authorities are getting ready for a wild round of demonstrations that will persist in encouraging progressive voters to cast “uncommitted” ballots in November. This is a proof that their anti-Israel movement hasn’t altered despite the ascent of Harris, who they continue to blame for Biden’s stances.
In an election year, Democrats who might have relied on CNN, a previously moderate news organization, to relay their message might find Harry Enten, the network’s senior political pollster, to be a repetitive and annoying voice. With just 83 days till Election Day, Enten cautioned Vice President Harris about potential hazards on Tuesday for the third time in as many months.
Among them would be undervaluing the substantial base of support for the former president Trump, particularly in light of his populist initiatives, which have attracted thousands of new Republican Party members over the previous seven and a half years. According to Enten, the former president is really doing far better than he was four years ago in several important demographics.
“The bottom line is this: If you have any idea if you’re a Kamala Harris fan and you want to rip open the champagne bottle, pop that cork, do not do it. Donald Trump is very much in this race. If we have a polling shift like we’ve seen in prior years between now and Election Day, Donald Trump would actually win,” said the analyst. “I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but he’s very much in this ball game.”
