On August 8, Vice President Kamala Harris told a handful of reporters on an airport tarmac that she had talked to her team and wants “to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month.” It’s now August 27, and there has still been no word on when it might happen. Recall that the first presidential debate is currently scheduled for September 10, and early voting is about to begin in some states.
According to Politico‘s Playbook newsletter this morning, “Harris campaign staff have been asking reporters who they think she should talk to. Behind the scenes, TV producers from big name anchors have been calling the campaign to pitch their talent as the person she has to do it with.” More from Politico:
There has been considerable debate in Harris world about the purpose and timing of the interview. The main narrative in the political press is that Harris needs to do a lengthy serious interview with a brand-name news anchor who will push her on issues. Harris herself has expressed disagreement with that view, we’re told by two people, telling some Democrats she doesn’t need a big showy interview. . . .
What about Tim? One of the issues that Harris world is currently working to address is how to deploy running mate TIM WALZ in the media. The danger in sending him out to do big solo interviews is that he might not have a full command of where Harris is on every issue. As someone pointed out to us last night, Harris talks about the “opportunity economy,” but if Walz were asked to define it, would he know how?
I’d imagine that the Harris team is starting to feel the pressure from some of today’s headlines: “When Will Kamala Harris Do a Real Interview?” (New York magazine), “How long can Harris wait to do a sit-down interview with the press?” (CNN), “21 Questions for Harris” (the New York Times).
For what it’s worth, two Harris campaign aides did not respond to National Review’s request for comment on Monday about when and with whom the vice president plans to have her first sit-down interview as a presidential candidate. (I know that at least one of those Harris aides has read my text message!)
Update, 5:30 PM: Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will sit for an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash this week in Georgia, the network announced this afternoon. The interview will air at 9 PM on August 29.