Vice President Kamala Harris has hardly taken a question since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee nearly three weeks ago. But that hasn’t stopped her from riding a wave of media hype into a statistical tie with Donald Trump, all without having to explain her newfound positions or Biden administration record.
The Trump campaign has a plan to put pressure on Harris and bring her into the spotlight, and it starts with Senator J.D. Vance, insiders told the Caller. While Trump has done various media appearances and taken questions in recent weeks, going forward, Vance will follow Harris on the campaign trail in an effort to draw a contrast to her policies and highlight her media avoidance.
“To highlight that, Senator Vance and President Trump are showing up where Kamala Harris is not,” a campaign spokesperson, granted anonymity to preview strategy, told the Caller. The spokesperson pointed out that Trump attended the National Association of Black Journalists conference when Harris did not. Trump has also appeared with non-traditional media personalities, including streamer Adin Ross and Elon Musk.
“Senator Vance is doing the same by going to the same places that Kamala Harris is going but refusing to take questions. Anyone can show up in a state and read off of a script, off a teleprompter, and then leave 20 minutes later, that’s exactly what Joe Biden was doing, and it didn’t work for him. We’re not going to let it work,” the spokesperson continued.
It’s been 17 days since Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democrat nominee, and she still hasn’t sat for a single media interview. #WheresKamala https://t.co/xy1otFvvGV
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 7, 2024
Once Biden bowed out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris, his vice president almost instantly launched her campaign. With the changing of candidates, the Democratic party, once riddled with infighting and anxiety, became filled with energy and excitement. Harris brought in an influx of cash and began hosting packed rallies.
But in the 18 days the campaign has been on the road, Harris has not done a sit down interview, held a press conference or allowed for many unscripted moments. In fact, Biden is slated to do a sit down interview, appearing on CBS News on Sunday, before Harris does.
Harris finally took some questions from reporters for the first time Thursday from a tarmac on the campaign trail. She didn’t address her drastic changes in policy since her failed 2020 presidential campaign, but did say she was shooting to set up at least one interview with the media by the end of the month.
VP Kamala Harris took a few questions on the tarmac just now:
On a sit-down interview: “I’ve talked to my team. I want us to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month.”
On debate with Trump: “Well, I’m glad that he’s finally agreed to a debate on September 10.”
— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) August 8, 2024
She added that she was “open” to the idea of additional debates with Trump, who said at a press conference earlier in the day that he had agreed to three.
The Trump campaign’s strategy was on full display Wednesday when Vance deplaned in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and walked over to where Air Force Two was sitting on the tarmac. When Vance arrived, Harris had already left reporters waiting in the wind.
“I wanted to take a good look at the plane, because hopefully it’s going to be my plane in a few months, but I also thought you guys might get lonely, because the Vice President doesn’t answer questions from reporters and hasn’t for 17 days,” Vance told the journalists.
“Well, I hope that she changes her mind, because it would be good for the American people and I think it would be good for you all if she actually ran a real campaign instead of one from her basement with a teleprompter,” Vance said.
Rather than a solo interview, there are plans to have Harris appear alongside her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for a joint interview ahead of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, two people familiar with the campaign’s thinking told Politico. One longtime Harris ally told the outlet that the vice president could avoid interviews until Labor Day, and the vice president’s inner circle is reportedly skeptical that doing such appearances would be beneficial.
Under pressure from Vance, the Trump campaign expects Harris’ media avoidance to be put on full display.
“The dam is going to break,” one source said.
Vance after walking over to Harris’s plane: “Hopefully it’s going to be my plane in a few months. I also thought you guys may get lonely, because the VP doesn’t answer questions from reporters.” pic.twitter.com/x2Mgnf5YLH
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 7, 2024
Harris’ hermit strategy, which some have equated to a basement campaign, comes from a lack of pressing from the media, GOP strategist Shermichael Singleton told the Caller.
“It’s sustainable as long as the media allows it to be sustainable,” Singleton told the Caller.
“This is a historic moment. She’s a first, she will be the first woman of color to become the nominee of a major party. That alone warrants a sit down interview.”
Harris’ ability to dodge the press could be attributed to the off-the-record chats she is frequently granting reporters who travel with her on Air Force Two. When the vice president speaks on an issue on the record, she has chosen to address reporters from the tarmac without taking questions.
“[Harris] hasn’t done an interview. She can’t do an interview, she is barely competent and she can’t do an interview,” Trump said during his Thursday press conference.
Per pooler @stevennelson10: VP Harris had “a roughly 4-minute off-the-record conversation with reporters” on Air Force Two. There have been a few of these over the last 2 weeks.
Yet, Harris still has not done an on-the-record sit-down interview since launching her campaign.
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) August 6, 2024
The strategy to pull Harris out into the media doesn’t stop with Vance though, insiders told the Caller.
The Republican party plans to use its Twitter accounts, which combined have millions of followers, as well as surrogates, to hammer Harris on her previous statements and flip-flopping, a GOP source told the Caller. Such pressure, they believe, will force her into unscripted moments to defend her record.
Less than a week into her campaign, the Republican National Committee’s rapid response account starting pointing out that Harris was yet to have an unscripted moment, press conference or interview. Other affiliated accounts, including Trump’s war room, have followed suit.
Kamala Harris has not done an interview nor a press conference since her coup to force Biden off the ticket.
She’ll do anything to avoid answering unscripted questions — and defend her dangerously liberal record.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 26, 2024
The accounts have also repeatedly broadcasted old statements of Harris’, and her campaign’s reversal on many of her policy beliefs over the last few days. Since beginning her run for president, Harris’ campaign walked back her previous endorsement on a fracking ban, her support for mandatory federal gun buybacks and the abolition of private health insurance, according to The New York Times. Notably, the reversals have come from Harris campaign staffers, rather than the vice president herself.
Kamala Harris DEFENDS San Francisco’s “sanctuary city” status — which bans cooperation with federal immigration authorities: “I support our ‘sanctuary’ law.” pic.twitter.com/uJ8vc7ZBxJ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 27, 2024
Amid the changing of positions — and now controversy surrounding Harris’ VP pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — the Trump campaign is stepping up to fill void of pressure on their opponent.
Walz ignores reporter asking him about stolen valor allegation pic.twitter.com/ry4Rysp1iF
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 7, 2024
“We’ve now started to send out daily email blasts with questions that the press should be asking Kamala. I would certainly point that out as part of the strategy, just keeping the pressure on, because they need to answer tough questions, and the American people deserve to hear from them,” the campaign spokesperson told the Caller.
Thursday’s email titled “18 DAYS LATER: Three Questions for Kamala Harris” was penned by Trump Campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung, who provided three questions that he says Harris ought to answer.
The questions dealt with Walz, whose 2005 retirement from the Minnesota National Guard after a 24-year career has come into question following a resurfaced 2018 Facebook post by retired Army Command Sergeant Major Thomas Behrends. Behrends replaced Walz as the top enlisted man in an artillery battalion after his sudden retirement.
“You chose Tim Walz as your running mate because he reflects the values you hold. He has now been exposed as a liar and fraud. Is this pick a self-reflection of yourself? Why did you layer the former Biden campaign staff with Obama’s team? Do you not have confidence with Team Biden? When is your next press conference?” Cheung wrote in his email.
Trump on Kamala: “She can’t do an interview. She’s barely competent and she can’t do an interview. But I look forward to the debates because I think we have to set the record straight.” pic.twitter.com/zbA9cUUWQf
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 8, 2024
If the trend of the last two weeks continues, it’s possible the first big unscripted moment for Harris will come on the debate stage. The former president drew contrast between he and Harris’ media availability on Thursday during his hour long press conference where he took many questions from reporters. Trump also announced that he had agreed to three presidential debates, one of which both parties have decided to attend on Sept. 10.
“I look forward to the debates because I think we have to set the record straight,” Trump said.