Vice President Kamala Harris has been the official Democratic nominee for president for 106 days without holding a formal press conference. In contrast, Trump has participated in at least six news conferences since August where he answered questions from the media. Harris has engaged in informal press gaggles during her recent campaign trail activities, including criticizing Trump’s rally in New York City over the weekend. She also made an appearance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and gave a speech in Washington, D.C., outlining her vision for the United States and contrasting it with what she refers to as Trump’s radical perspective.
Harris has increased her media appearances in October, participating in radio interviews, talk shows like “The View,” and interviews with various news outlets. Despite this, she has not scheduled a formal press conference as a candidate with the election just around the corner. Conservative Radio Libre host Jorge Bonilla believes Harris should hold a press conference but notes that the media’s leniency towards her makes it almost inconsequential whether she does one or not.
Bonilla suggests that Harris has been following a strategy of limited accessibility to the press, maintaining the illusion of public presence while avoiding direct accountability. While Trump has also skipped some interviews recently, he did make an appearance at the Al Smith dinner, which traditionally features presidential candidates engaging in lighthearted roasts. Harris, on the other hand, chose to send a video message instead of attending the event.
Harris faced controversy over a recent interview on “60 Minutes” due to the editing of her response to a question about Israel. CBS aired different parts of her answer in a preview of the interview compared to the actual special broadcast. Despite these challenges, Harris has been actively engaging with various media outlets and platforms to communicate her message to the public.
In conclusion, while Vice President Kamala Harris has not held a formal press conference as the Democratic nominee for president, she has been actively participating in media appearances and interviews to share her vision for the country. The decision not to hold a press conference may be influenced by various factors, including media dynamics and campaign strategies. As the election approaches, the focus remains on how Harris continues to connect with the public and address key issues facing the nation.
