Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has not taken questions from reporters in nearly three weeks since President Biden suspended his re-election campaign. This move, reminiscent of Biden's strategy in 2020, may work to her advantage.
A spokesperson for a conservative advocacy organization noted that Harris's approach mirrors Biden's use of the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to limit media interactions during his campaign. The spokesperson described Harris's campaign as a 'Trojan horse,' suggesting that she is avoiding substantive interviews while promoting distractions like appearances with celebrities and vice president commercials.
During his 2020 presidential campaign, President Biden held relatively few press conferences, opting for virtual events instead. The spokesperson highlighted the compliant nature of the press, suggesting that they are favoring Harris.
Harris faced criticism for spending less than two minutes answering questions from reporters after an 18-day media silence. Former President Trump also weighed in, comparing Harris's avoidance of interviews to Biden's struggles with answering questions.
On Thursday, while campaigning in Michigan, Harris briefly engaged with reporters on the airport tarmac. When asked about her lack of media appearances, she committed to scheduling an interview before the end of the month.
Recent reports indicated that Harris surpassed Trump in betting markets for the first time since May 1, when Biden was still in the race. At that time, Biden held a slight lead over Trump in a media company betting average.