So that is what we’ve been ready for since Kamala Harris turned the Democratic candidate for president.
Her first large interview.
Republicans had been demanding it. The media was clamoring for it. And even her supporters had been welcoming it.
Then it occurred. Harris, alongside together with her operating mate Tim Walz, was interviewed Thursday afternoon by CNN’s Dana Bash. The interview, in its entirety based on CNN, aired Thursday night time over an hour (together with commercials) in primetime.
It turned out to be an excellent night time for everybody concerned — Bash, Harris and Walz. Put it this manner: All got here by unscathed.
Bash can’t be, pardon the pun, bashed for going too tender or being unfair. Harris was clean and powerful. And Walz, on the very least, did no hurt. (In fact, there are some who can have points with all three, particularly staunch Donald Trump supporters … and Trump himself. And perhaps even a number of Harris supporters who assume Bash was too robust.)
All in all, it was a decent night time, beginning with Bash, who dealt with the large project professionally and admirably — even when it began with what appeared like an harmless query, however one that might have been a trapdoor for Harris.
The primary query — the primary two truly — was what would Harris do on Day 1 of her administration? It’s form of a gotcha query when you consider it. No matter reply she offers will be adopted with, “Nicely then why aren’t you and the president doing that proper now?”
That’s to not say it’s an unfair query. In some methods, it’s a pure approach to begin. You wish to be president, so what are you going to do while you turn out to be president?
But it surely’s positively a tough query.
Harris managed to deftly navigate her method by it by giving a few particular examples of what she would do, however she did so with out opening herself to criticism for something unfavourable that is likely to be occurring within the second.
It was an excellent begin for Harris, and for Bash. The early a part of the interview featured robust questions specializing in Harris altering her positions on numerous subjects, similar to fracking and immigration.
Bash was notably robust when she requested, “Typically talking, how ought to voters take a look at among the modifications that you simply’ve made … in your coverage? Is it as a result of you will have extra expertise now and also you’ve discovered extra in regards to the info? Is it since you’re operating for president in a Democratic major? And will they really feel snug and assured that what you’re saying now could be gonna be your coverage shifting ahead?”
It was agency, however respectful. You may resolve for your self how Harris dealt with her reply, however it was a query that Harris wanted to be requested, and Bash requested it.
When it got here to Walz, Bash was equally robust, pushing Walz on his service document and following up when Walz tried to wriggle out of giving a direct reply. Bash’s first query to Walz was quick, to the purpose, and ideal: “Gov. Walz, the nation is simply beginning to get to know you. I wish to ask you a query about the way you’ve described your service within the Nationwide Guard. You stated that you simply carried weapons in battle, however you will have by no means deployed truly in a battle zone. A marketing campaign official stated that you simply misspoke. Did you?”
When Walz tried to pivot out of his reply, Bash stayed on the subject and stated, “And the concept that you stated that you simply had been in battle, did you misspeak, because the marketing campaign has stated?”
Walz stated, “Yeah, I stated — we had been speaking about on this case, this was after a college capturing, the concepts of carrying these weapons of battle. And my spouse, the English instructor, advised me my grammar isn’t at all times right.”
These had been amongst Bash’s higher moments, as was Bash asking Harris if she had any regrets about defending Joe Biden after his disastrous debate efficiency that finally led to him leaving the presidential race.
The primary three-quarters of the interview had been no-nonsense questions that hit on lots of the subjects that Harris and Walz wanted to reply. Harris was requested in regards to the economic system, immigration, Israel-Gaza and dealing with Biden. She additionally requested, “(Trump) advised that you simply occurred to show Black just lately for political functions, questioning a core a part of your id.”
To which Harris dismissively stated, “Standard, drained playbook. Subsequent query, please.”
It wasn’t till the ultimate moments of the interview that Bash requested extra private questions on Harris’ grandnieces and Walz’s household, together with the viral second of his son crying tears of pleasure on the Democratic Nationwide Conference.
So now what? Will Harris do extra interviews? Does she have to do extra interviews?
CNN contributor Alyssa Farah Griffin, who labored in Donald Trump’s White Home, stated on air earlier within the night that Harris ought to do extra interviews, probably with native reporters whereas campaigning across the nation. And CNN’s David Axelrod stated he doesn’t imagine interviews are “landmines to be navigated,” however alternatives to push forth numerous ideas and insurance policies.
And one ultimate notice: Bash stated on air that CNN additionally has invited Trump and his operating mate, JD Vance, to be interviewed.
Let’s see if that ever occurs.
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- Vladimir Kara-Murza, who received the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2024 for columns written from his jail cell in Russia, was just lately launched as a part of a prisoner change. Right here’s his newest piece for the Put up: “My first thought was that I was going to be led out to be executed.” Kara-Murza writes, “However so many others are nonetheless left behind. At present’s Russia holds greater than 1,000 political prisoners, a lot of them for opposing the battle in Ukraine. They nonetheless fold their bunks at 5 a.m.; nonetheless stroll round in a circle in small roof-covered jail courtyards; nonetheless can not converse to their family members. Many are in dire well being situation, and their plight is changing into pressing.”
- Matthew Ingram wrote his ultimate publication for Columbia Journalism Evaluate: “So long, and thanks for all the fish.”
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- MSNBC will host a particular “Black Girls in America: The Street to 2024” on Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. Hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, co-host of “The Weekend,” and MSNBC authorized analyst Melissa Murray, the particular will air on MSNBC and be accessible for stream on Peacock. Within the announcement, MSNBC stated, “Sanders Townsend and Murray traveled throughout the nation to talk with influential Black ladies and constituent teams, together with award-winning actress Kerry Washington, political strategist Donna Brazile, Bishop and former Democratic Nationwide Committee Chief of Employees Leah Daughtry, 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference Committee Chairwoman Minyon Moore, lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill and extra.”
- Invoice Church — who joined The (Raleigh) Information & Observer and The (Durham) Herald-Solar as govt editor in September 2021 — is leaving that put up to turn out to be govt editor of the Santa Fe New Mexican. The Information & Observer’s Martha Quillin has more.
Have suggestions or a tip? E-mail Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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