U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris is launching a campaign in the 'enemy territory' with about three weeks left until Election Day. By agreeing to an interview with Fox News, which is considered the most pro-Trump among major U.S. media outlets, she is reaching out first to conservative voters who have yet to make up their minds until the final stages of the election.
On the 14th (local time), Fox News announced that Vice President Harris had agreed to an interview with the network. The interview was pre-recorded near Philadelphia and is scheduled to air on the 'Special Report' at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on the 16th. In Korean time, it will be broadcast from 7 a.m. on the 17th.
This is Vice President Harris's first official interview with Fox News. Fox News, known for its conservative stance, has openly supported former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate. For Vice President Harris, this move is an effort to reach out to some Republican party members and conservative-leaning voters who do not support former President Trump in the final stages of the election campaign.
The NYT noted, "The very fact that Harris agreed to appear on Fox News could raise the perception that she is willing to face tough questions," adding, "It could be an opportunity for the Democratic candidate." This is the first time a Democratic presidential candidate has interviewed with Fox News since Hillary Clinton in 2016. The Democratic National Committee had barred Fox News from broadcasting Democratic primary debates in 2020, when President Biden was a candidate, citing the network's lack of neutrality.
Meanwhile, the Harris campaign has recently been expanding its engagement with the pro-Trump Fox News. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate and Governor of Minnesota, appeared twice on Fox News Sunday just this month. The NYT reported that Walz's staff contacted Fox News first to schedule the second appearance. Other close allies of Vice President Harris within the Democratic Party, including Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania and once a leading candidate for Harris's running mate, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have also been appearing on the network. The NYT added that Secretary Buttigieg is considered a frequent guest, to the extent that he told attendees at the Democratic National Convention, "You might recognize me now from Fox News."
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris and former President Trump will simultaneously campaign in Pennsylvania, the key battleground state, on the same day. Vice President Harris will hold a rally in Erie County, Pennsylvania, while former President Trump will attend a town hall meeting focused on the economy in Oaks, a suburb of Philadelphia in the same state. With this year's presidential election unfolding as a razor-thin race, Pennsylvania, which has the largest number of electoral votes (19) among battleground states, is considered the most critical battleground. Polls so far have shown a fierce competition between the two candidates in this region, with a margin of about 1 to 2 percentage points.
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