She’s doing the same thing Biden did in 2020.
Since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee on July 22, Vice President Kamala Harris has not held a formal press conference. Despite announcing her nomination after securing the support of a majority of delegates for the upcoming Democratic National Convention, Harris has avoided hosting a comprehensive press briefing or engaging in extensive interviews. She has been active on the campaign trail, attending various events and making brief remarks to reporters, but a formal press conference has not been part of her schedule in the 13 days since her nomination.
Harris also missed the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, where former President Trump attracted attention with a dynamic Q&A session. The Vice President’s public appearances have been limited, including a brief address at Joint Base Andrews with President Biden to welcome Americans released from Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Harris praised the diplomatic achievement, but this was a rare instance of her speaking to the media.
Harris secured her nomination without any primary votes following President Biden’s decision to step aside, and the Democratic Party quickly rallied behind her. However, her lack of engagement with the press has drawn criticism. Observers, including National Review’s Noah Rothman and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, have questioned why Harris has not held a press conference or faced challenging questions recently. Some view this as a continuation of a strategy similar to President Biden’s 2020 campaign, which faced criticism for avoiding media scrutiny.
Media analysts and critics suggest that Harris’s campaign might be deliberately avoiding press interactions to prevent scrutiny of her record and positions. DePauw University’s Jeffrey McCall speculates that the Harris campaign, aware of Biden’s media strategy and Harris’s performance in unscripted settings, prefers to maintain a controlled public image. McCall believes Harris’s campaign might not feel pressured to hold a press conference due to the support she already has from the Democratic base, who are more focused on her not being her opponents rather than her policy positions.
Despite these strategies, some experts argue that Harris would benefit from engaging in press conferences and interviews to attract undecided or moderate voters. As the campaign progresses, such interactions might become necessary for her to address critical questions and present her positions more clearly to the electorate.
