Staffers for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign are asking their reporter friends which journalist should get her first sit-down interview as the Democrat’s nominee, according to a new report.
Earlier this month, Harris said during one of the few times a reporter was able to ask her a question that she and her team wanted to schedule an interview before the end of August. That deadline comes in four days.
“Harris campaign staff have been asking reporters who they think she should talk to,” POLITICO reported. “Behind the scenes, TV producers from big name anchors have been calling the campaign to pitch their talent as the person she has to do it with.”
It is unclear who in the Harris campaign is making the decision. While Brian Fallon, senior adviser for communications, would be an obvious choice, POLITICO noted that such an interview needs to be coordinated with Harris’ vice presidential office, where Kirsten Allen leads.
But a source from Harris’ camp told POLITICO that up to five other people have an interest in who Harris talks to.
“Another source with knowledge of the process said that Stephanie Cutter, senior adviser for message and strategy, will have an outsized role, as well,” POLITICO reported. “Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and senior advisor David Plouffe represent another camp. And Maya Harris and Tony West, Harris’s sister and brother-in-law, will weigh in with their own views. The political operatives on this list all have long-term relationships with TV networks and their major talent. But unlike Biden, Harris herself doesn’t have the same deep history with the journalists now wooing her.”
One thing that seems to be factored into the decision is race and gender, POLITICO reported.
“Almost everyone we talked to said Harris will consider race and gender in making her choice, and that she would be keen to sit down with a Black and/or female reporter, though nobody believes that’s a requirement,” the outlet said.
When President Joe Biden was looking for a running mate in 2020, he said he wanted to choose a black woman, ultimately deciding on Harris. Harris may now be employing a similar vetting process when deciding who she will speak to for an interview.
Harris has managed to avoid interviews and most interactions with the press since she took over as the Democratic presidential nominee in late July. Her campaign website features no policy positions, and staffers have told the media that Harris no longer supports many of her past positions, though Harris herself has said no such thing.
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