In a surprising turn of events, Kamala Harris, whose popularity has been waning recently, has agreed to appear on Fox News.
This decision comes after a media campaign that saw her numbers drop, despite attempts by 60 Minutes to mask her incoherent responses. The interview is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 pm ET.
According to Hot Air, the interview will be conducted by Bret Baier, Fox News's chief political anchor, near Philadelphia. It will air shortly after it is recorded on Baier's program, "Special Report." The network has stated that Harris is expected to answer questions for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. This marks Harris's first formal interview with Fox News, a network known for its conservative punditry and support for her Republican opponent, former President Donald J. Trump.
This interview could potentially be a golden opportunity for the Democratic nominee, just three weeks before Election Day. However, it may not pan out as Harris hopes. The decision to appear on a platform that is potentially hostile, especially at this stage of the campaign, raises questions. The answer may lie in the current polls and betting markets, which suggest a need for a game-changer.
The New York Times suggests that this interview could provide Harris with a chance to deliver her message to a viewership that may be skeptical of her candidacy. Her willingness to appear on Fox News could enhance the perception that she is open to facing tough questions. Moreover, she could reach a broader audience of independent voters, as more of them watch Fox News than CNN or MSNBC, as per Nielsen's research.
However, it is worth noting that Harris had a similar "chance" on CBS and 60 Minutes, which did not end well. Despite desperate editing attempts, Harris's real-time answers to rather straightforward questions were so poor that CBS News replaced an answer to one question with a response to an unrelated question. This was exposed due to promotional efforts before the interview aired.
CBS News has yet to release any transcript of the Harris interview, a move that former CBS reporters and Bari Weiss have publicly criticized as it goes against CBS precedent. The refusal to release the transcript likely stems from the fact that it would reveal the extent to which 60 Minutes edited Harris's responses to make them appear coherent. This would expose the extent of CBS News's attempt to make an in-kind campaign contribution for Harris, indicating a level of corruption within the network.
Despite the post-interview editing, Harris failed to seize the "opportunity" on broadcast TV. This raises the question of why she would choose to appear nearly live against a seasoned journalist like Bret Baier, instead of finding another Democrat apologist willing to clean up after her in the editing room.
Scott Pinsker suggests that sheer desperation could be the answer. He argues that Harris has been operating under the assumption that she's winning the election. However, with the recent turn of events, Harris realizes that she can't play it safe.
Harris had opportunities to appear on Fox News before, including a full-on debate with Trump. Trump had arranged a debate with Baier and Martha MacCallum as moderators for September 4th, but Harris refused. Trump briefly considered the idea of a Fox debate after the ABC News debacle before deciding against another debate. This format would have allowed Harris to spin the outcome and deflect questions to Trump.
Now, Harris will have to face Baier's questions and his determination to get answers. While Baier is expected to be fair and professional in his questions and follow-ups, Harris has struggled with such interactions in the past. This decision has likely caused a significant amount of stress within Team Kamala.
The late, great Daniel Van Bargen in Super Troopers once said, "Desperation is a stinky cologne," and it seems that Harris is starting to wear it.
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