Staff Reports
Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California recently took to CNN to defend the mysteriously media-averse Vice President Kamala Harris. Padilla argued that after three and a half years on the job, Harris is simply too busy to bother with interviews. Apparently, Harris has such a wealth of experience that she doesn’t need to be questioned by the press, which might come as a shock to anyone who has seen her speak without a script.
Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio couldn’t resist the comedic opportunity to poke fun at this strange situation. Braving the Wisconsin chill outside Air Force Two, he expressed concerns for the lonely reporters left waiting in vain for Harris to appear. Padilla, however, dismissed Vance’s humor as a stunt, which surely raised eyebrows since he’s championing a vice president who’s adept at dodging the press like an Olympic athlete.
Dem Senator Says Harris Can Duck Interviews Because She 'Has Been Doing The Job' Of Vice President pic.twitter.com/ocYB7wszsX
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 8, 2024
Padilla didn’t hold back on his praise for Harris, claiming she has a resume that includes being a district attorney, state attorney general, and a U.S. senator for a longer duration than Vance has held office. It seems Padilla believes that these roles have prepared her to face the nation’s pressing issues — an assertion best defined as optimistic, given the track record of Harris’ decisions in those positions. While Padilla marvels at Harris’s “experience” and “maturity,” some would argue that a lack of interviews might make her less experienced in public discourse.
It’s abundantly clear that the Democrats are stepping out on thin ice. Padilla tackled the fact that Harris has not given a media interview since President Biden’s reelection bid was canceled, which raises real questions about her availability and willingness to engage with the American people. The senator attempted to explain that Harris has been busy assembling delegates, and now prepares for a Democratic Convention in Chicago, as if juggling bureaucratic tasks somehow exempts her from basic accountability.
While Vance’s observations were lighthearted, it’s rather alarming that the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party appears to be avoiding public engagements. The “tremendous chapter” of Harris’s career boils down to a lack of transparency at a pivotal moment. The idea that she’s stumping in battleground states while avoiding the press seems less about strategy and more about necessity. Americans might just wonder if the real reason for Harris’s absence is her refusal to answer tough questions that could actually test that so-called “maturity” and “experience.”
