Axios reporter Alex Thompson mentioned Monday that Kamala Harris’ technique of avoiding interviews considerably raises the stakes for Tuesday night time’s debate.
Apart from an Aug. 29 interview with CNN host Dana Bash alongside Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Harris has not granted a sit-down interview or press convention since President Joe Biden announced he was ending his reelection bid July 21. Thompson mentioned that Harris, who was uncomfortable in unscripted settings, could have “raised the stakes” for Tuesday’s debate with former President Donald Trump. (RELATED: Biden-Harris Cabinet Secretary Claims ‘Punishing Schedule’ Makes It Impossible For Kamala To Answer Questions)
“Let’s do not forget that a few of her worst moments as vice chairman have been in a few of these unscripted interview moments. She isn’t often as snug in these settings,” Thompson instructed “CNN Information Central” host Brianna Keilar. “On the identical time, by not doing interviews — she nonetheless has not performed one solo interview — by not doing interviews, she’s raised the stakes for each unscripted second that she has. That’s why tomorrow night time’s debate has actually turn into this actually pivotal second for her as a result of the very fact is that quite a lot of Individuals, as many as 30%, say that they don’t know sufficient about her but. And so this, for a lot of voters, particularly these vital voters in these swing states, that is going to be their first impression of her. So it’s a extremely, you already know, it’s a second that’s actually pivotal for her marketing campaign.”
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CNN Visitor Says Harris Avoiding Interviews ‘Raised The Stakes’ For Debate pic.twitter.com/GmfiA1Vq8F
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Harris at the moment leads Trump by 1.2% within the RealClearPolling average of polls from Aug. 22 to Sept. 6. Her lead grows to 1.9% when Inexperienced Social gathering candidate Dr. Jill Stein, Libertarian Social gathering candidate Chase Oliver and impartial candidate Cornel West are included in surveys.
Thompson additionally famous obvious policy changes by Harris from left-wing positions she held throughout her marketing campaign for the 2020 Democratic Social gathering nomination for president, most of which had been hinted at by marketing campaign aides relatively than by the vice chairman.
“Like each good politician that strikes to the middle throughout a normal election, she’s going to attempt to type of thread the needle right here and principally say, ‘Pay attention, I’ve been vice chairman for 4 years. A few of my opinions have modified as I’ve been in proximity to the Oval Workplace and have been in proximity to energy. Additionally, circumstances have modified,’” Thompson instructed Keilar. “But additionally, the very fact of the matter is that every one these modifications have all gone in a single route for essentially the most half, they usually’ve all gone from the left to the middle, which means that it’s not nearly her altering views, however it is usually a politically motivated motion.” (RELATED: ‘Wouldn’t That Bother You?’: Jennings, Axelrod Duke It Out Over Harris’ Answer On Flip-Flops During CNN Interview)
Thompson recommended that Harris might not be doing interviews as a result of she had cobbled collectively a marketing campaign employees after Biden’s withdrawal, citing an effort to get solutions on a proposed electrical automobile mandate.
“I requested her marketing campaign, you already know, would she signal a invoice she co-sponsored in 2019 that principally mandated automakers to solely make electrical automobiles by 2035, 2040, and it took six days for me to get a solution, and the reply on the finish of these six days was, ‘No remark,’” Thompson mentioned, “And that is type of a side of what some individuals within the Democratic Social gathering have instructed me, it’s just like the Frankenstein marketing campaign, is that, you already know, by advantage of unprecedented circumstances, of her moving into this race so late, you might have this example by which, you already know, it’s half Obama staffers, it’s half Biden’s staffers, and it’s half her group, and it‘s actually typically unclear who’s in cost and likewise quite a lot of these individuals don‘t have in depth data of the candidate they’re now working for.”
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