It's not entirely true that Kamala Harris has gone 20 days without taking journalists' questions — one Thursday, before boarding Air Force Two, Harris did a 77-second Q&A with the press. One of the seven lucky questions that made it through was about when she'd be doing a sit-down interview; Harris replied that her team was working on it and hoped to have one by the end of the month, or three weeks from now … that is, if the month she was talking about was August.
For all of those wondering why Harris isn't doing press conferences and interviews, Charles C. W. Cooke found a clue on the front page of CNN's website.
“Why isn’t Harris doing interviews?” pic.twitter.com/Dlf12UBlW5
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 10, 2024
Why take the risk when the mainstream media has everything under control?
It's really on the story of how Harris plans to conduct a social media campaign much like Joe Biden's basement campaign. Betsy Klein, Camila DeChalus, Way Mullery, and Curt Merrill report:
For years as vice president, Harris has been quietly laying the digital groundwork behind the scenes — meeting with young voters, social media influencers and several grassroots organizations. Now, with less than 90 days until the November election, the Harris campaign has made subtle shifts to capitalize on the momentum around her candidacy — and translate her growing social media following into votes.
…
The number of plays Harris’ @KamalaHQ TikTok received for its 65 posts in 20 days is more than double what the @BidenHQ’s 335 posts received in roughly five months.
So that's her "cool factor"? Being online? Check out what Harris inherited from Biden's push out the door:
The 175 staffers on the team inherited by Harris include a mobilization team, which communicates with grassroots supporters who are sharing or making content, donating money and making calls and sending texts; a digital persuasion operation that encompasses paid media, influencers and content creators; a creative team; and a rapid response team.
Paid media, influencers, and content creators? We were told this was "organic."
It’s obvious—she doesn’t need to because the mainstream media is basically functioning as her communications and PR department.
— Beau Leyvand 🎗️ (@BeauLeyvand) August 10, 2024
Even as somebody who has spent years complaining about the press and how Democrats can get away with anything, these last two months are so far beyond anything even I could have ever imagined.
— The Incrementalist Libertarian (@colorblindk1d) August 10, 2024
Why is our media so pathetic? pic.twitter.com/2aqZOqYbjN
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) August 10, 2024
The cool factor. Like that new tattoo you can never admit you that you regret.
— Medici (@walmer_bolfet) August 10, 2024
She's waiting until after Labor Day, when the undecideds start paying attention.
— Andrea E (@AAC0519) August 10, 2024
Everyone else can eat cake.
Biden was the trial run of the puppet regime candidate. I think they've perfected the recipe now.
— The Colossus of Argos (@colossusofargos) August 10, 2024
Rated: unreported campaign contribution.
— becvarisi (@becvarisi) August 10, 2024
Apparently they aren't cool. Or maybe she just REALLY sucks at it and they don't want you to know that.
— Larry LaBate (@xmethuselahx) August 10, 2024
Or it could totally be the cool thing.
What's cooler than having Harry Sisson post a TikTok about your immense campaign rally? Sisson is cool.
The "cool factor" seems to be having your propaganda team work nonstop and hide your intellect and opinions from the voters.
— Dave Rogers (@iahphx) August 10, 2024
This cool factor is part of a strategy years in the making, but was only just deployed about 2 weeks ago. It’s amazing!!
— CakeOrDeath (@CakeOrDeath111) August 10, 2024
Right about the same time that Harris' spokespeople announced she'd flip-flopped on every issue from her 2020 presidential campaign.
The digital approach is entirely dependent on compliant media and they pretend they’re watching from the sidelines
— Keith Maniac, from Guatemala (@from_maniac) August 10, 2024
Remember how CNN brought on an elderly "Gen Z correspondent" to explain how Kamala is brat? They know it's cool, but no one on CNN can tell you what it means.
She has that youth group pastor cool factor
— ThisSideOfParadise (@Dooger111) August 10, 2024
The media creates the cool factor then talks about the cool factor they created.
— sh0nuff (@sh0nuff85) August 10, 2024
Exactly.
They act like it’s a genius strategy. It only works when you have a complicit media. If they were leading every broadcast asking why Harris is avoiding the press, this strategy would flop.
— Wartime Consigliere (@1991Spartan) August 10, 2024
It's a good thing all of Harris' millions of followers on TikTok are too young to vote.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member