The Harris campaign has apparently determined that media interactions will only risk hurting her chances of winning the 2024 election.
The Kamala Harris campaign has reportedly determined it’s in the best interest of the campaign for Kamala to avoid the press for as long as possible leading up to the 2024 election.
The New York Times and the Washington Post published editorials in recent days detailing how sources close to the Harris campaign decided that Joe Biden’s strategy of avoiding the media during his 2020 “basement campaign” was successful and will similarly work for the vice president.
The Times reported that the Harris campaign cited a “fractured media landscape” as justification to reach voters only with TV ads and social media.
Aides to Ms. Harris argue that in a fractured media landscape, where trust in traditional news outlets has fallen, their most effective voter outreach comes from alternative venues like TikTok and their own social media platforms.
“The vice president’s top priority is earning the support of the voters who will decide this election,” Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Ms. Harris, said on Thursday, adding that the campaign was “being strategic, creative and expeditious” in using TV ads, rallies, local organizers, “and of course interviews that reach our target voters.”
He did not say when such an interview might take place.
Democratic strategist James Carville defended the scheme, saying, “Where is it written that you have to sit down for a press interview?”
“They’ve had to pick a vice president, plan a convention, move around, do this, do that, and she’s already agreed to a debate,” Carville said.
National Review senior correspondent Jim Geraghty noted in WaPo that voters are owed answers from Harris since she flipped on numerous policy positions she advocated for in 2020, but claimed that “not enough people want her to” be interviewed.
“But Harris apparently doesn’t have to explain, or at least isn’t feeling much pressure to do so, because anyone supporting her candidacy — and, let’s face it, that includes plenty of reporters — knows that quizzing Harris closely about her agenda risks helping Trump,” Geraghty wrote.
“Why isn’t the Democratic nominee doing interviews or news conferences? Because not enough people want her to — and, so far, it’s working,” he added.
But it’s not like she’s avoiding an adversarial media — she’s avoiding the friendly press!
For example, she recently denied speaking with TIME magazine for its glowing profile of her as the Democrat nominee.
The reintroduction of Kamala Harris https://t.co/noW5TOgawP pic.twitter.com/iLmQIhxOeF
— TIME (@TIME) August 12, 2024
Harris also ditched her designated press pool on Monday to avoid speaking to them.
NEW: Peter Doocy reveals that Vice President Kamala Harris ditched her press pool to avoid speaking to the media.
“Vice President Harris is supposed to travel everywhere she goes with a press pool. We just learned that she left her press pool behind to attend an event at Howard… pic.twitter.com/mv6zTh2oKh
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) August 14, 2024
Democrat “intellectuals” like Stanford political science professor Michael McFaul support her tactic of avoiding the press, claiming she should only speak to the press if it helps her campaign.
“The paramount objective for @KamalaHarris is to win this election. If a press conference helps her win, she should do it. If not, she shouldn’t do it. It’s just that simple. She has no ‘moral obligation’ to talk to the press. Tone it down folks,” he wrote.
The paramount objective for @KamalaHarris is to win this election. If a press conference helps her win, she should do it. If not, she shouldn’t do it. It’s just that simple. She has no “moral obligation” to talk to the press. Tone it down folks.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 14, 2024
Critics argued that the circumstances of Kamala’s candidacy and her policy positions deserve more clarity and scrutiny since she was installed as the Democrat nominee without earning a single primary vote following Joe Biden’s exit.
And Kamala’s “basement campaign” is especially questionable given that early voting begins in Pennsylvania on Sept. 16, and in Minnesota, Vermont, and Virginia several days later.
Her campaign spokesman told CNN she would likely participate in a sit-down interview before the end of the month, but wouldn’t commit to that.
CNN: “Would it kill you guys to have a press conference?”
HARRIS SPOX: Kamala holds rallies so she can read from her teleprompter!
CNN: “A campaign rally is not a press conference.”
HARRIS SPOX: “We’re gonna be having a sit-down interview here before the end of the month.”… pic.twitter.com/TaVI6qLGci
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 14, 2024
The political pressure likely won’t abate until Kamala delivers unscripted remarks to the press that last for more than 70 seconds.
DAY 24: Kamala hasn’t done a single interview nor press conference since she forced Biden off the ticket.
Just the same teleprompter speech — over and over and over again. pic.twitter.com/7hfR0GmN72
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 14, 2024
But unfortunately, even if Kamala does decide to answer some questions about her terrible record or lack of policies, the far-left press is so sycophantic that she won’t face any meaningful or hard-hitting questions.
The easy life of a Democratic press secretary:
– NYTimes requests comment on Kamala’s joyful laugh
– Politico wants to know where Tim Walz gets his hats
– The Atlantic asks if either candidate likes food
– Jen Rubin needs suggestions for her column pic.twitter.com/QLvG6oHS0w— Andrew Stiles (@AndrewStilesUSA) August 9, 2024
Yesterday, Sara Fischer of Axios threw a fit on CNN over “disinformation” and Elon Musk allowing Trump to “say whatever he wants.”
Today, she’s hand-waving away the Kamala Harris campaign editing press headlines in ads to spread disinformation.
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/u69o0RP8dh
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) August 13, 2024
