Vice President Kamala Harris has adopted a media-shy approach since accepting her nomination, with Democrats acknowledging this tactic on Friday. The vice president’s lack of media accessibility suggests she is concerned about answering questions about her radical record and may follow a similar campaign strategy as President Joe Biden, who rarely held solo press conferences or sat for live interviews.
Democrat strategist Christy Setzer told the Hill that “the vice president is showing all of us that you don’t need to do high-profile interviews or press conferences in order to get attention from the media or from voters.” This approach raises concerns about whether Harris can effectively communicate with the public and avoid gaffes.
Harris has already made two gaffes since becoming the de facto nominee, including accidentally calling herself “president” during a eulogy for former Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and delivering a word salad during an unscripted comment about a hostage deal with Russia. Despite these missteps, Democrats do not seem overly concerned about Harris’s lack of media accessibility.
However, Republicans are quickly defining Harris as a radical Democrat who flip-flops on policies, according to another strategist. This raises concerns that the vice president needs to be more visible and address these criticisms head-on. Furthermore, there is growing concern that Harris appears to be back-peddling on many policies she previously championed, such as supporting a federal job guarantee and fracking.
While avoiding questions might work for now, it remains crucial for the vice president to establish trust with voters by addressing her policy positions and any concerns about her past statements in a clear and transparent manner.