US Vice-President Kamala Harris is set to conduct her inaugural interview on Thursday since assuming the role of the Democratic standard-bearer, following significant criticism from Republicans accusing her of evading tough questions. Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, will engage with CNN during a campaign visit to Georgia, marking a crucial test of the momentum surrounding her campaign in the final 10 weeks leading up to the election. Donald Trump's spokesperson has criticized her for not undertaking the interview solo, alleging that she is using Minnesota Governor Walz as a 'human shield.' Meanwhile, former President Trump, eager to reclaim the spotlight from Harris following her swift ascent, will separately campaign in the key states of Michigan and Wisconsin on the same day.
The CNN interview with journalist Dana Bash, scheduled for 9.00 pm local time (0100 GMT Friday), will be the first extensive interview for Harris and Walz since President Joe Biden withdrew from the White House race on July 21. This interview also follows the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where the party experienced a surge in energy post her nomination. Harris's spokesperson, Ian Sams, defended the joint ticket interview, citing it as a long-standing tradition in election years, and referenced similar interviews conducted by Trump and Mike Pence, as well as Biden and Harris.
However, the 2024 election is far from conventional. The 59-year-old Harris, relatively inexperienced, has been propelled onto the campaign stage at unprecedented speed following a major upheaval in US political history. To date, she has only engaged in a few interactions with reporters during her campaign. Her reluctance to conduct an interview or press conference has provided Republicans with material for attacks, arguing that voters remain uninformed about her policies.
Trump has conducted several interviews in recent weeks, primarily with supportive interviewers including X boss Elon Musk, and has also held two press conferences featuring lengthy monologues. Harris, who promised to schedule an interview by the end of the month, has now fulfilled that commitment. Her interview will be closely scrutinized in a year marked by unexpected political events.
Adding to the pressure, Harris has previously earned a reputation for verbal miscues and gaffes in spontaneous situations during her tenure as vice-president. Notably, in a 2021 exchange with NBC, she claimed to have visited the Mexico border despite not having done so, later responding with a laugh to a follow-up question about not having been to Europe. Republicans have since exploited this exchange to criticize her on the border issue, a significant weakness for the Democrats heading into the election. As a former prosecutor, Harris is likely aiming to make a substantial impact in her first debate with Trump on September 10.
