Letter: Photogs Say Harris Campaign Was Engaging in 'Unprecedented Reduction in Access'

It's hard to believe now, but a way into the Barack Obama administration, the White House press corps was seriously concerned about the lack of press access to the president. The most transparent administration in history wasn't being so transparent.

Following her debate "victory," Vice President Kamala Harris is back out on the road campaigning (and cackling). But aside from the debate, she's still only done one pre-recorded sit-down interview with CNN's Dana Bash, with her running mate by her side to fill out the 18 minutes. People like Ben Shapiro were keeping a running tally of the number of days since her coronation that Harris had done a press conference. It was well over a month. It's not true that Harris didn't answer reporters' questions, though; she did spend about 44 seconds interacting with the press before boarding Air Force Two one day.

Axios isn't a source we necessarily trust, but they do have the letter in their possession. It looks like the press is losing patience with Harris as well.

New: In an Aug. 28 letter obtained by Axios, the WH News Photographers Association said Harris' team was engaging in an "unprecedented reduction in access.”

The VP’s team didn’t respond until last night after we asked about the letter

W/ @sarafischer https://t.co/OOch8LDqWX pic.twitter.com/qkl5MaStBr
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 12, 2024

Axios reports:

Jessica Koscielniak, president of the WHNPA, wrote to Harris' top aides last month protesting that "the four independent news photographer seats have been downgraded to one."
Koscielniak added: "The WHNPA strongly calls on the Harris campaign to reconsider the number of media seats allowed on Air Force 2."
The WHNPA wrote that the group heard the number of seats had to be reduced for security reasons and proposed either adding a "chaser plane" for additional media or the White House Correspondent Association (WHCA) reorganizing who gets a seat.
…
Doug Mills, a veteran White House news photographer speaking in his personal capacity, told Axios that "the current situation puts the still photographers at a distinct disadvantage on every trip."