Joint Interview Tomorrow with Running Mate Walls and CNN
Policy Verification Test... Republicans Mock with "Can't Do It Alone?"
2021 NBC Interview, Previously Deemed a "Disaster," Mentioned
Kamala Harris, the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President, will hold her first in-depth interview with the media on the night of the 29th (local time) following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race. Attention is focused on whether she can continue her recent rise in approval ratings with sharp questioning befitting her background as a prosecutor, or whether she will expose weaknesses under pressure, as in a past interview that was harshly criticized as a 'complete failure' by the Republicans.
According to CNN, the first joint interview with Vice President Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be broadcast on CNN starting at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on the 29th, which corresponds to 10 a.m. on the 30th Korean time. CNN emphasized the significance by calling it "the first unscripted interview with a major news outlet since becoming the Democratic candidate" and "the next test."
Until now, Vice President Harris had not scheduled any media interviews even after securing the Democratic presidential nomination following President Biden's withdrawal, drawing criticism from the Republican side. In particular, her unprepared and awkward appearance during a solo interview with NBC in early 2021 was brought up. At that time, when asked if she had ever visited the border, Harris said, "We have been there," but when the host corrected her, saying "You have not been there," she responded, "I have not been to Europe since taking office," which sparked controversy.
The interview had an immediate significant impact on Harris's declining approval ratings and was cited as a reason why she has been reluctant to appear in the media since. Local media outlets, including Politico, have pointed out that as a Democratic presidential candidate, Harris needs to face the media without a script to prove her capabilities. Harris's most recent official interview was on June 27 on CNN, where she appeared to explain President Biden's poor performance in a TV debate.
The Republicans are confident that Harris will reveal her weaknesses in this interview. Since it is a joint interview with running mate Governor Walz rather than a solo one, some Republicans have mocked her by asking if she needs a "babysitter." After the CNN interview schedule was confirmed, the campaign of former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, issued a statement sarcastically saying, "After hiding from reporters for 39 days, she finally had the courage to sit down for a 'joint' interview," adding, "She lacks the ability to do it alone." Earlier this month, Trump also claimed, "Harris is not smart enough to hold a press conference."
However, CNN, the organizer and a media outlet considered pro-Democratic, acknowledged that Harris "appeared unprepared" during the past NBC interview but generously assessed that "considering Harris is now focusing on debate preparation, the likelihood of such a scenario repeating is low." They explained that Harris appeared much more stable in interviews conducted on CBS 60 Minutes in October last year and on CNN at the end of June. CNN also defended that, contrary to Republican criticism, it is common for presidential candidates to appear in interviews with their running mates. For example, former President Trump appeared with then-vice presidential candidate Mike Pence on CBS 60 Minutes in 2016.
What questions might come up... Axios lists 10 key ones
The interview is expected to cover a wide range of major issues, from economic problems such as inflation to immigration policy, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and relations with China.
Axios presented a total of 10 key questions likely to be posed to Vice President Harris, stating that the core question will be, "What are the differences from Biden on these policies, and what efforts have you made as Vice President?" On domestic policy, questions include how she defines the sharp rise in prices and what criteria will guide actions, to what extent wealth taxes will be implemented, whether she will request the resignation of Democratic-appointed Supreme Court justices after 18 years of service, why the policy stance on the border wall, opposed during the Trump administration, has changed, and what responsibility she bears for the surge in inflation.
On foreign policy, questions include whether she agrees with President Biden's view that the U.S. is prepared to defend Taiwan if China invades, what the long-term solution is to North Korea's nuclear missile capabilities, whether NATO member countries are spending enough on defense budgets, whether she would hold talks as president with Russian President Vladimir Putin or Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and whether she supports Ukraine's resistance to Russia's invasion and the use of long-range ballistic missiles.
CNN noted that although Vice President Harris energized her support base at last week's Democratic National Convention, there has yet to be an opportunity to thoroughly examine her answers and policies. It is time for her to provide concrete answers on how she plans to realize the ambitions she presented in her acceptance speech, such as middle-class tax cuts, price stabilization, and expanding housing supply. However, CNN also added that some parts of Harris's economic proposals, including price increase regulations, have been criticized even by economists favorable to the Democratic Party.
For Vice President Harris, it seems she will also try to highlight a differentiated image from former President Trump's strategy, which focuses on disparaging competitors rather than policies. Leon Panetta, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said, "She needs to show that she can lead America on a better path by speaking about the issues she believes in," adding, "There must be answers to specific questions. It is a test of whether she is speaking in broad terms or has concrete policies she wants to implement."
Kate Bedingfield, a member of the Biden administration, advised, "Harris should use this opportunity to clearly state who she is fighting for," and added, "This is not a doctoral exam on every potential policy of the Harris administration. She should not be too caught up in such thoughts and should use it as a chance to deliver her message."
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