Three weeks ago, Harris assured reporters she would schedule an interview by the end of the month.On Thursday night, she will fulfill that promise with a joint interview on CNN with Dana Bash. While such joint appearances are not unprecedented, critics argue that Harris’s decision to share the spotlight with Walz indicates a lack of confidence in her ability to handle the interview solo.
“She’s not smart enough to do a news conference,” former President Donald Trump remarked earlier this month, adding, “She won’t do interviews with friendly people because she can’t do better than Biden.”
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also weighed in, saying on Fox & Friends, “It’s clear that her own team and her own party think she needs a babysitter. And that’s why they’re putting her vice-presidential nominee on the stage with her, so that he can step in and answer questions if things go like the clips we just saw, like she has done in previous interviews.”
Harris’s supporters, however, argue that the decision to bring Walz along is strategic, allowing both candidates to present a united front and focus on their economic agenda. Democratic strategist Peter Giangreco defended the move, saying, “The cadence has been right… Now do some sit-downs and amplify that.” He added, “This is a smart, calculated move. It’s about showing unity and reinforcing their message, ” as quoted by BBC.
Republican strategist Chip Felkel, a vocal Trump critic, sees the joint interview as a potential risk for Harris. “She’s gotta get out there,” he said, as reported by BBC. “She’s got to show that she can think under pressure, because that’s part of what the president has to do. If she’s bringing Walz along because she doesn’t feel confident, that’s going to be a problem.”
The vice-president has limited her press engagements since Biden’s sudden exit from the race, with her last formal interview taking place over two months ago. The joint interview with Walz, scheduled to air at 9:00 pm EDT on Thursday (6.30 am on Friday in India), is seen by many as a crucial moment for Harris to prove her ability to think on her feet and handle the pressure of a high-stakes political environment.
A CNN spokesperson defended the interview format, saying, “Dana Bash is a well-respected veteran journalist who has covered politics and politicians in Washington for over three decades. She has extensive experience interviewing major political figures and is highly qualified to interview both Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. We look forward to their conversation.”
As Harris prepares to face Trump in an upcoming ABC News debate, this interview could set the tone for her campaign. Whether the decision to share the stage with Walz will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the criticism won’t be going away anytime soon. Republican strategist Scott Jennings summed it up by saying, “It’s incredibly weak, weak sauce, to show up with your running mate. This will only fuel more speculation about her readiness.”
Source : Times of India
