Vice President Kamala Harris has been the official Democratic nominee for president for 96 days without holding a formal press conference. This is in stark contrast to former President Trump, who has held six news conferences since August and taken questions from the media. Harris has participated in a couple of informal press gaggles while on the campaign trail this week.
Although Harris has increased her media appearances in recent weeks, including interviews with Fox News, CNN, NBC News, and Telemundo, she has yet to schedule a formal press conference as a candidate. Conservative Radio Libre host Jorge Bonilla believes that Harris should hold a press conference, but he feels that the media have enabled her to avoid accountability.
It is unlikely that Harris will hold a press conference anytime soon, as she has been following a strategy of remaining accessible to the public while staying inaccessible to the press. Despite criticism from some quarters, Harris has continued to avoid tough questions, including questions about President Biden’s mental decline.
In contrast to Harris, Trump has been more willing to engage with the media, even attending the annual Al Smith dinner where presidential candidates typically do lighthearted roasts. Harris chose to send a video message instead of attending the event.
Harris recently faced controversy over an interview on “60 Minutes” where her answer about Israel was edited in a way that some viewers found misleading. This incident has raised questions about the media’s treatment of Harris and other political figures.
Overall, Harris’s avoidance of formal press conferences and reluctance to engage with tough questions highlights the challenges that she may face as a candidate. As the campaign progresses, it will be interesting to see how Harris navigates the media landscape and addresses the concerns of voters.
