Oprah Winfrey built her career talking about other people’s trauma,
and almost 40 years since her eponymous show first aired, it seems that
she has found little reason to deviate from that formula. What America
witnessed when Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with the
world-famous host was an extended political ad with one purpose in mind:
to humanize Kamala.
Determining whether the series of softball questions thinly disguised
as political probing will move the electoral needle is a task best
suited to those with a crystal ball. However, one thing is abundantly
clear: This kind of interview seriously damages her credibility as a presidential candidate. The lack of substantive questioning is increasing doubts about her overall competence.
The Oprah Gambit
This was not an interview in any meaningful sense of the word. With
guest appearances by Hollywood staples such as Ben Stiller, Meryl
Streep, Jennifer Lopez, and others, including guest spots by campaign
surrogates, the scene seemed more like a DNC rehash. There were several
hundred attendees at the Michigan event, but these were largely not
citizens seeking to understand the depth – or lack thereof – of a
potential president. Instead, they appeared to be Kamala’s fanbase,
peppered with representatives from organizations such as Republicans for
Harris, Swifties for Kamala, Black Women for Harris, White Dudes for
Harris, Win with Black Men, White Women for Harris, and South Asians for
Harris.
It has been 61 days since President Joe Biden announced his
withdrawal from the race and anointed his VP; in that time, she has yet
to hold a press conference.
Every candidate can look calm, relaxed, and in control when they know
that no difficult questions or thorny issues are headed their way. As
Ms. Harris notches up a string of friendly encounters, the public is
left wondering whether she has the capability to deal with anything more
challenging. And these concerns are beginning to reverberate beyond the
electorate.
Pre-Packaged Topics for a Pre-Packaged Candidate?
Ms. Winfrey brought up a range of hot-button issues, from gun rights
to abortion, with a brief sojourn into the economy. One might have hoped
that the Democrat nominee would have been pressed to deliver concrete
answers, but that was not to be. Each topic was accompanied – in
Winfrey-esque fashion – by an emotive story and “special guest” that
allowed Harris to empathize rather than elucidate.
On the subject of gun violence, a survivor of the recent Apalachee
High School shooting in Georgia told her emotional story, providing the
perfect segue for Harris to denounce so-called “assault weapons.”
Regarding abortion access, the mother of a young woman who died from
an infection that some say could have been prevented if it were not for
restrictive abortion laws spoke of her pain and her loss. Harris
responded, saying:
“I’m just so sorry … And the courage that you all have
shown is extraordinary because also you just learned about how it is
that she died … And Amber’s mom shared with me that the word, over and
over again in her mind, is preventable. Preventable. That word keeps
coming to her.”
Each topic was an opportunity to emote and display compassion. It was
televisual schmaltz of the highest order, failing to demonstrate depth
or substance.
The Fraying Fourth Estate Support
It is no secret that Kamala Harris is the current darling
of the legacy media establishment – as was Joe Biden until about ten
minutes after his disastrous debate performance exposed said media as
aiding and abetting in his cognitive decline coverup. And yet, what
should have been the event of the election season, Oprah Winfrey, in
conversation with the potential POTUS, received scant attention from
those who relish such celebrity connections.
DC’s most prominent news outlet posted just a single story on
its digital front page concerning the event – and this was way below the
fold. The New York Times also posted only one story – again,
well below the fold. CBS had one; ABC had none. In fact, the only major
outlet that headlined the campaign showcase was CNN.
This is not to suggest that the Fourth Estate’s infatuation with
whichever candidate has a “D” next to his or her name is over – far from
it. But tensions are mounting. A former Los Angeles bureau chief for The Times,
Todd Purdum, published a guest piece in his former paper lamenting
Harris’ lack of substance in dealing directly with questions. He
declared:
“Writing about politicians for decades has convinced me
that direct, succinct answers and explanations from Ms. Harris would go a
long way — perhaps longer than she realizes — toward persuading voters
that they know enough about her and her plans.”
This was not a condemnation, however, but a plea for substance. He
continued, “[I]n a campaign in which Donald Trump fills our days with
arrant nonsense and dominates the national discussion … the vice
president can’t afford to stick only to rehearsed answers and stump
speeches that might not persuade voters or shape what America is talking
about.”
The Job Is not the Interview
Thus far in the campaign, Kamala Harris has shown that she can
perfectly handle a friendly environment full of adoration and applause.
And in some ways, that’s precisely what a campaign can be. She is
demonstrating to America that a bunch of people think she is just plain
wonderful and that maybe, just maybe, you should join the joy parade.
Give Cable TV the Boot – Check This Out!
But anyone who has ever interviewed a prospective employee – or even
been interviewed – knows the persona and responses delivered are all too
often not what we end up getting when the work comes due. If they were,
no one would ever be fired.
The presidency is not a joy-filled lovefest in which only dear
friends and fans are involved. The United States has adversaries; the
country will face problems that must be dealt with, and answers will be
demanded – no matter how uncomfortable – that must be provided. And this
is precisely where Kamala Harris is failing.
She may, indeed, be able to handle the cut and thrust of the highest
office in the land, but she is not demonstrating that to the public. In
fact, she is showing the complete opposite. When one avoids difficult
situations, it is a form of cowardice and immaturity. She may be sending
out messages of hope and joy, but the signals being received are of an
entirely different nature.
~
Liberty Nation does not endorse candidates, campaigns, or legislation, and this presentation is no endorsement.
Okay, we have a lot of stuff about the Kamala/Walz interview, mostly negative. She lied, she shifted all the blame to Trump, and she babbled out word salads refusing to explain anything, a child sitting at the adult table. The analyses from the interview were almost all negative, with the biggest exception coming from Oprah.
She's gone totally halfwit now.
It was bad enough when she was so hot about Obama because there was someone running for President "who looked like her", which many seemed to think that was rational. It wasn't. But now with Kamala, she's following the rest of the lemmings over the cliff intellectually, philosophically, and ethically. How can anyone be a citizen of a nation that made her a billionaire hate that nation, and the citizens of that nation?
"Speaking to Varietyat the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, Winfrey claimed that
Harris has gone from “hiding in plain sight” as presidential candidate
to “stepping into the true vision of herself,” following her recorded
interview with CNN........... In what appeared to be an attempt to change the narrative by making it
sound like avoiding the media as a presidential candidate is a
completely normal thing for women to do, Winfrey suggested that Harris
finally speaking to the media on the campaign trail is “a moment in
history.”.............The billionaire went on to bizarrely suggest that Harris avoiding
unscripted interviews with the media since launching her presidential
campaign is simply something that women do in order to “fit into the
world.” “You make yourself a little smaller, a little narrower, a little
dimmer — just to fit into the world, so that you don’t make other people
look any less than they are”..............
The author calls that bizarre. I call that being kind. Then there's Magic Johnson, who is part of the nitwit brigade, saying: “Vice President Kamala Harris was outstanding in her CNN interview
tonight! She has a real vision for the country,.......“VP Harris was strong and clear about her positions on the economy,
foreign policy, immigration, and other issues. She clearly explained why
she changed viewpoints on a couple of issues which shows her humility,
growth, and willingness to be open....”The "nation" thinks he was drunk. Then there's Howard J. Warner who called the interview A plus for Kamala, saying:
Dana Bash conducted a
better interview than I would have expected. The answers by Kamala
Harris and Tim Walz, though, were almost shocking.........the vice president moved the ball forward and
claimed to be a change agent without any real change that one can
believe. When Kamala claimed to be committed to her values, I wondered
whether she was admitting that she did not change any real opinions and
supported the Biden administration programs. Only former Bush staffer
Scott Jennings pointed to the incongruities.
He
outlines all the stupid things these two nitwits said, and still thinks
this was a plus for Kamala, was he trying to be kind? Well Howard, try and get this right, once,
just once, please, if you're trying to be kind to Kamala, kindness toward Kamala
is a mental disorder. The rest of the world thinks more clearly. Dana Bash had one job, protect Kamala in any way possible, ending forever any credibility as a real journalist. HOT TAKES: Internet Reacts to Weird Staging of Kamala's CNN Interview and Hulking Tim Walz Well, wonders will never cease—Kamala Harris actually sat for a formal
interview. Of course, it wasn’t live, it was taped, and it was conducted
by a friendly face in CNN’s Dana Bash. Meanwhile, the VP needed the
comfort blanket of her running mate and Emotional Support Governor, Minnesota's Tim Walz, just to get through it. CNN’s Phillip: Harris Is ‘Not Explaining’ the ‘Delta Between’ Her Past Border Positions and Now - On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN NewsNight,” host Abby Phillip stated
that 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris
hasn’t fully explained her drastic shift on border policy from
supporting decriminalizing illegally crossing the border when she ran
for president during the 2020 cycle to saying that she supports
enforcing existing immigration law now.Here Are the Best Social Media Reactions to Harris' First Major Interview - In the aftermath of Vice President Kamala
Harris’s first major interview since becoming the Democratic nominee,
Republicans criticized the train wreck in which she lied and refused to
take responsibility for the problems the U.S. is facing. Instead, she
passed the blame to former President Donald Trump for several issues,
such as the border crisis and the economy.......... Even CNN Fact-Checker Dunks on Veep - CNN’s Daniel Dale said Thursday on “Newsnight” that Democratic
presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’ answer on fracking
during her interview with anchor Dana Bash was inaccurate. Dale said, “The fact check bottom line is that she did not actually
make clear at a 2020 debate that she had changed her previous support
for a fracking ban. So let me take you through this kind of saga so
here’s what she said at a CNN climate town hall in 2019 on the subject
of a fracking ban.”.....
Did You Miss These Two Things About Kamala Harris' Disastrous Interview on CNN? -
The interview was a trainwreck. It was also encased in bubble wrap, and
the vice president still fell flat on her face. The optics were also
terrible, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz looking like he was either Kamala
Harris’ attorney or a crutch. You can’t leave her alone—that’s what
this looked like. Portions of the transcript showed host Dana Bash
answering the questions for Harris, along with word salads that provide
her camp’s reasoning behind keeping the VP in the bunker. Harris was
unrepentant about hiding Joe Biden’s mental health decline. The
California liberal wants to turn the page on the past decade. Sorry,
Kamala, you’re the incumbent. What does that even mean? And why are you
treating voters with such contempt—they’re not that stupid. Harris is the vice president of the United States.
Harris Waffles on Border Policy in CNN Interview - Kamala Harris waffled when asked to describe her migration policy during her brief interview with CNN. She first portrayed herself as an opponent of illegal
migration when host Dana Bash asked, “You raised your hand [in a 2019
debate] that asked whether or not the border should be decriminalized.
Do you still believe that?” “I believe there should be consequences,” Harris responded, vaguely. “We
have laws that have to be followed and enforced, that address and deal
with people who cross our border illegally, and there should be
consequences.” She did not describe any legal consequences for illegal migration. .......
Did a Major 2024 Kamala Harris Narrative Just Blow Up? Matt Vespa -
The Harris campaign did not respond to the Free Beacon’s questions.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz lied about his rank and being deployed to a
combat zone. Harris might have stretched the truth about working at the
fast food giant. Is there anything that’s remotely authentic about the
2024 Democratic ticket?
31 Questions Dana Bash Should Ask Kamala Harris, Tim Walz in First Interview - Democrat presidential and vice presidential
nominees Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are
set to engage in their first sit-down interview on Thursday with CNN,
more than a month after Harris became the presumptive nominee. Here are 31 questions, broken down by larger themes,
that CNN’s Dana Bash could and should ask the duo during the joint
interview:......
The
bar for our politics has been set so low that Kamala not physically
crapping herself during an interview is now considered a brilliant
performance. But in reality, she's a mess. Platitudes mixed with lies
mixed with nonsense. With saccharine slathered on by Dana Bash.— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 30, 2024
From
what we've seen from the Harris interview, Dana Bash had a real
opportunity to create a reputation as a genuine journalist, but instead w
her leading questions and softly encouraging manner she chose to be
Kamala's Groom of the Stool. Not unexpected but still disappointing.— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) August 30, 2024
Sean Davis @seanmdav - CNN’s
interviewer couldn’t keep herself from telling Harris how to answer the
question while asking the question. And Harris still couldn’t manage to
give a coherent answer......
Kamala Harris' First Interview As Dem Nominee Went Just As Expected Sarah Arnold - Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for her first interview since becoming the Democratic nominee— and it went as expected.In
a pre-recorded interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Harris and Vice
Presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn) touched on her 2025 agenda
and topics she has so far avoided. Given that the interview was filmed
earlier in the day, it was able to be edited, so it appears Harris gave
seamless answers. However, she still couldn’t deliver the answers
Americans deserve despite this.Harris was also asked about former President Donald Trump,
who, last month, called out the vice president for not being black and
only identifying as such for political gains.However, she refused to acknowledge the question. Speaking
about Trump, Harris took the opportunity to blame the 45th president
for the problems her administration created, such as the unprecedented
southern border crisis.In response, Trump hit back at Harris after she pinned the problem on him, saying that President Joe Biden and Harris destroyed the border........
Harris herself had compiled a hard-left trail over her own entire
career while loudly boasting indiscreetly to leftist audiences of being
proudly "woke" and "radical." Most challenging for a Harris
candidacy makeover was the long, entrenched Democratic Party's
reluctance to remove a debilitated President Joe Biden from the
Democratic ticket.....
In conclusion, the Kamala Honeymoon Over: Nate Silver's New Electoral College Model Is Bad News for Harris Matt Vespa - Is the honeymoon over for Kamala Harris? Given the media’s unending
drooling over her candidacy, there should have been a major poll bump.
Instead, Donald J. Trump has retaken the lead in the Electoral College
probability model run by Nate Silver. Biden was running away with it by
this point in the 2020 election. Kamala Harris can’t seem to do it, and voters are quickly going to learn
that she’s an unelectable candidate for various reasons, not least
because she’s adopted Joe Biden’s disastrous agenda and flip-flopped on
the hyper-left-wing platform that she touted during her short and
disastrous 2020 run. At this point, some were joking that Harris would
endorse Trump, as she’s stolen his ‘no tax on tips’ and border wall
initiatives......
Oh, and let's not leave out our buddy, Governor Tim Walz who when asked about his lies regarding his military service. He blamed:
......terrible “grammar” for why he lied about carrying
“weapons in war.” Walz also said he is “proud” of his service despite
being called out for lying. "You said you carried weapons in war but you have never deployed actually in a war zone."
WALZ: "The one thing I'm never going to do is.. I'll never demean another member's service."
WOW.
So, when exactly did anyone ask him to demean someone else's military service? Never! No one has ever asked him to demean anyone else's military service, they asked him to explain his lies. It's always amazed me how many questions a politician can answer no one asked, and how many questions asked they don't answer. As for him having a problem with grammar, if that's true, then why was he in China teaching English?
