As the 2024 presidential election intensifies, Kamala Harris has come under fire for conducting far fewer media interviews compared to her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump.

Critics, including both Democrats and Republicans, have pointed out that Harris, 59, has conducted just six sit-down interviews since Joe Biden endorsed her to lead the Democratic ticket on July 21.

The relative scarcity of Harris’ media appearances has raised questions about her communication strategy, particularly as her campaign enters its final weeks.

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Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser for the Harris-Walz campaign, defended the vice president’s limited media engagement during an appearance on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper.

“She’s a very busy person,” Bottoms stated, explaining that Harris’ roles as both vice president and presidential candidate leave little time for frequent media interviews.

Bottoms emphasized that while Harris may not be speaking to the media as often as some would like, she is effectively communicating her policy positions through other channels, including campaign rallies and speeches.

“We heard her today talk about her views on these policies,” Bottoms said, referencing a speech Harris gave in Georgia. “It may not be in the format that the media would like. It may not be that she’s sitting down doing a one-on-one interview, but we heard her today talk about her stance on reproductive freedom.”

Trump, 78, has conducted more than three times the number of interviews as Harris in the same period, with some of his appearances lasting over an hour.

Trump recently sat down for a high-profile one-on-one conversation with Elon Musk on X Spaces, drawing significant attention.

Vance, Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, has also made a notable media presence, becoming a frequent guest on Sunday morning political talk shows.

Together, Trump and Vance have participated in a combined 55 interviews since the end of July, far outpacing Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 60, who have done 15 interviews.

Harris’ reluctance to engage with the media has sparked criticism not only from her political opponents but also from news outlets and some within her own party.

Publications like The New York Times and Axios have noted that Harris has been more reclusive in the early stages of her campaign than Biden was during the final stretch of his 2020 campaign.

Jake Tapper of CNN pressed Bottoms on why Harris has not been sitting down for regular interviews or fielding more questions from the press, particularly as voters may have concerns about her policies and previous positions.

“Why is she not doing more interviews to talk about her policies and answer some of the questions that voters have about her policies and her change on some of them?” Tapper asked during the interview.

Bottoms pushed back against the criticism, reiterating that Harris has conducted interviews and has been vocal about her policy positions through speeches and other formats.

However, Bottoms admitted that Harris has not done as many one-on-one interviews as some would prefer.

“It’s that she’s a very busy person,” Bottoms said, adding that Harris’ role as vice president adds to the demands on her time. Bottoms also pointed out that Harris has been engaging with voters in other ways, such as through speeches and public events.

You can’t make this up.

Jake Tapper asked Kamala Senior Adviser and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms why Kamala isn’t doing more interviews.

Her response: “She’s a very busy person.”pic.twitter.com/Cn1bAjw1FZ

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 20, 2024

One point of contention for critics has been Harris’ refusal to hold a formal press conference since becoming the Democratic nominee.

Despite numerous campaign events and interviews, Harris has yet to face the press in a traditional question-and-answer format.

By comparison, Trump has held several press conferences in recent weeks, giving reporters ample opportunities to ask questions and probe his policies.

Harris’ limited media engagement has raised concerns among political observers, particularly given the high stakes of the 2024 election.

With the race between Harris and Trump shaping up to be closely contested, some worry that her reluctance to engage with the media could hurt her campaign’s ability to connect with undecided voters.

While Harris may not be conducting as many interviews as her critics would like, she has been engaging with high-profile supporters in more controlled settings.

Recently, Harris sat down for a lengthy conversation with Oprah Winfrey, alongside a star-studded lineup that included Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, and Jennifer Lopez.

The event was aimed at bolstering support for Harris among key Democratic constituencies, but it did little to assuage concerns about her overall media strategy.

Kamala is incapable of answering a question and after 3 minutes of nonsense Oprah had to save her. pic.twitter.com/ZnbWeUDtZD

— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) September 20, 2024

The Harris-Walz campaign has defended the vice president’s approach, arguing that she is focusing on reaching voters through campaign rallies and speeches rather than extensive media interviews.

Bottoms emphasized that Harris is effectively communicating her message to voters, even if it is not through traditional media formats.

As the election draws nearer, it remains to be seen whether Harris will adjust her media strategy in response to the criticism.

With former President Trump and Sen. Vance making frequent media appearances, the contrast between the two campaigns’ approaches to the press is stark.

For now, Harris’ team appears confident that her current strategy is working.

However, with growing pressure from both political opponents and the media, the question remains whether the vice president will step up her engagement with the press in the critical final weeks of the campaign.

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