This will be Harris’s first major media appearance since President Biden’s exit from the 2024 race, and the interview comes amid mounting scrutiny over her reluctance to engage with the press.The Democratic ticket will sit down with CNN’s Dana Bash in Georgia, a critical battleground state.
The interview, scheduled to be taped Thursday afternoon, will cover a range of pressing issues. Harris is expected to address several policy shifts that have emerged since her nomination, including her changing stances on fracking, border security, and private health insurance. Her previous progressive positions on these topics as a 2019 presidential candidate have been a point of contention.
Additionally, Harris may face questions about her awareness of President Biden’s mental decline, despite her public defense of him following a contentious debate performance.
Walz, who will share the spotlight with Harris, is anticipated to face inquiries about his military service record and the left-wing policies implemented during his tenure as Minnesota’s governor.
CNN’s Dana Bash, who moderated the June presidential debate marking Biden’s campaign’s decline, will conduct the interview. The debate was a turning point, leading to increased scrutiny of Biden’s performance and subsequent withdrawal.
Former President Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, have criticized Harris and Walz for their media avoidance. Trump’s senior adviser, Jason Miller, took to social media to express his skepticism, labeling the interview as a “cooked-up” attempt to avoid tough questions.
Miller claimed that Harris’s reluctance to appear alone and the decision to tape the interview were strategies to manage potential damage.
He said, “39 days in hiding for this? Complete failure for Kamala Harris to hide behind Tim Walz knowing he’ll get the tough questions on his doctored bio. Harris can’t even do a 1-on-1 interview! And not even live—it’s taped, so they can edit Harris. Unbelievable.”