Staff Reports
In a striking display of political engagement (or the lack thereof), former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance are clearly showing their opponents, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, how to connect with voters. According to analysis from Axios, Trump and Vance have collectively participated in over ten times as many interviews as their Democratic counterparts. This shows a clear contrast in transparency and willingness to actually explain their policies to the American public.
The numbers reveal a troubling trend for the Harris-Walz campaign, which is on pace to conduct fewer interviews and press conferences than any significant party’s presidential duo in modern history. This unprecedented media avoidance appears to be a strategic choice from Harris, who seems to be avoiding situations that might showcase her less-than-stellar moments as vice president. The great gamble here is whether voters will accept a candidate who hides from tough questions, a strategy that is starting to look like a political ostrich act, burying their head in the sand while hoping the issues resolve themselves.
Kamala Harris Avoiding Interviews Where She Might Have to Explain Policies https://t.co/RY5WGMwzpe pic.twitter.com/1qYhla2115
— ✨🇺🇸Rojas 🇺🇸✨ (@mcucolo57) September 19, 2024
In the 59 days since Harris has been the nominee, she has managed to squeeze in just three interviews. In stark contrast, Trump has been seen on camera 14 times, showing that he is far more ready—and perhaps eager—to engage with the American public. Even sleepy Joe Biden, notorious for his gaffes during the 2020 campaign, managed to find more opportunities to face the media during a pandemic than Harris has so far. This is a clear indicator of confidence versus caution, with Harris choosing the more sheltered route.
The performance review of the interview count shows a pitiful showing for Harris and Walz. Trump has led the charge with a total of 7 local TV interviews, 1 national print interview, and 2 national TV appearances. Meanwhile, Vance has outdone them both with a staggering 15 local TV interviews, 8 in national print, and an impressive 24 on national TV. Walz’s reluctance to appear before the press is particularly alarming, especially considering his past reputation for routinely taking questions, even if they resulted in the occasional blunder.
Adding to the intrigue, Walz is now conspicuously avoiding media appearances, a move that signals he understands the scrutiny that comes with his history of embellishments. His previous claims of military service and family conception methods have come under fire, so it’s no surprise that he appears to prefer the safety of isolation over facing a press corps that might just ask him those pesky follow-up questions. Reports suggest that when he was approached by journalists, he kept a solid ten-foot distance, effectively turning the campaign trail into his own personal fortress.
The disconnect between the Trump-Vance team and their Democratic counterparts could not be more pronounced. As the election campaign heats up, voters are served a clear message: bold candidates are willing to face the music, while their opponents seem intent on dodging the hard questions. The fundamental question for the Harris-Walz duo remains—can they continue to rely on avoidance tactics in hopes of winning an election? It looks like they might just be betting their campaign on a high stakes game of peekaboo.
