Reactions to Vice President Kamala Harris’ first media interview since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate have been mixed since Thursday. Many critics feel that Harris received softer treatment compared to the interview of President Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, conducted by CNN’s Dana Bash just weeks earlier.
Bash, who interviewed Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), also interviewed Vance earlier in August. Comparisons have been drawn between her questions to Vance and those posed to Harris.
For example, Harris was questioned about inconsistencies in her political record, Trump’s personal attacks, and her goals for day one in the Oval Office, while Walz was asked about his campaign trail comments regarding his military service. Walz had previously claimed to have carried weapons in war, despite never being deployed to a warzone.
“You said that you carried weapons in war, but you have never actually deployed in a war zone. A campaign official said that you misspoke,” Bash said during the interview. “Did you?”
“I’m incredibly proud. I’ve done 24 years of wearing the uniform of this country, equally proud of my service in a public-school classroom, whether it’s Congress or the governor,” Walz said. “My record speaks for itself, but I think people are coming to get to know me. I speak like they do. I speak candidly. I wear my emotions on my sleeves. And I speak especially passionately about our children being shot in schools and around guns.
“So, I think people know me. They know who I am. They know where my heart is. And again, my record has been out there for over 40 years to speak for itself,” he continued.
Bash continued to push to try to get an answer regarding her initial question. “And the idea that you said that you were in war, did you misspeak as the campaign has said?”
“Yeah. I said we were talking about, in this case, this was after a school shooting, the idea of carrying these weapons of war. And, my wife, the English teacher, she told me my grammar is not always correct,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harris received some softball questions, including one about a viral photo of her niece watching her speech at the Democratic National Convention.
“You didn’t explicitly talk about gender or race in your speech. But it obviously means a lot to a lot of people. And that viral picture really says it. What does it mean to you?” Bash asked.
“I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender,” Harris replied. “But I did see that photograph, and I was deeply touched by it.”
“Did she talk to you about it afterwards?” Bash asked.
“Oh, she had a lot to talk about. She had a lot. She listened to everything. And she listens to everything,” Harris replied.
Harris was also questioned about her plans for the first day in office if she were to win the White House.
“Well, there are a number of things I will tell you. First and foremost, one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to support and strengthen the middle class,” Harris said, but promptly changed the subject and attempted to refocus on Trump.
However, Bash pressed, “So, what would you do? Day one?”
“It’s going to be about one implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy,” Harris replied. “I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which include what we’re going to do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re going to do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re going to do to invest in families,” Harris said.
The questions were notably light and friendly, especially when compared to Vance’s interview. During Vance’s segment, Bash grilled him for about six minutes on his criticism of Walz’s portrayal of his military record, challenged his statements three times, and repeatedly questioned him about his “childless cat ladies” comments from a previous interview.
“You’ve asked me three questions about a sarcastic remark I made years ago,” Vance commented during the questioning about the 2021 comments, shifting the focus to Harris. “I wonder what Kamala Harris thinks about the fact that she supported policies that opened the American southern border…I wonder what Kamala Harris thinks about the fact that she lied to the American people about Joe Biden’s mental facility for the office.”
“Dana was fired up when she grilled JD about his ‘cat lady’ comments,” Vanessa Santos, president of Renegade PR, told Fox News. “If she would’ve brought even half of that energy to the Harris-Walz interview, voters might have learned something last night.”
“Dana Bash only did a bad job if you consider her to be a serious journalist,” conservative host Michael Knowles told Fox. “In reality, her job was not to ask tough questions, as she did of JD Vance, but rather to allow Kamala Harris to check the box of having endured an uneventful interview.”
Even the left-leaning Washington Post criticized Bash’s performance. Columnist Perry Bacon remarked, and media columnist Erik Wemple inquired with colleagues, “Couldn’t Bash have pressed harder on what Harris knew about Biden’s fitness for office and her perspective on his decline over time?”
“Yes. I think there was only one question about Biden’s fitness versus, by my count, four questions on fracking,” responded colleague Perry Bacon.
“Bash is clearly capable of conducting a hardcore interview in the peak of a critical election cycle. It’s unfortunate she didn’t deploy those skills with Harris and Walz and instead put on kid gloves,” said Santos, noting that Bash “allowing Walz to blame ‘bad grammar’ for lying about his military record seems like a politically motivated tactic, and is a disservice to Americans.”
Liberal comedian Bill Maher also voiced frustration with the pair’s performance, especially criticizing Walz’s response about his military service, labeling him a “huge liar.”
“No, you don’t. You’re a huge liar, like all politicians are. I don’t give a s— what you did during the Iraq War. You were in the Guard– I don’t understand why they just can’t–” Maher said before cutting off and adding, “They’re just insulting my intelligence.”
