After weeks of speculation and criticism, Kamala Harris has finally agreed to the first interview of her presidential campaign. The vice president will pre-tape a sit down with CNN’s Dana Bash to be aired Thursday in primetime and will do so alongside her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
On Wednesday’s show, Megyn was joined by Michael Knowles, host of The Michael Knowles Show, to discuss Harris – and Walz – finally getting an interview on the books and what the stakes are now that they have waited so long.
The Specs
Just hours after an embarrassing report from Politico Playbook about the drama behind the scenes in the Harris campaign about its media strategy (or lack thereof), the CNN announcement dropped. “The person who would like to be our next president has finally agreed to an interview that is not off the record, or with influencers, or conducted by her own running mate, though he will be there as her emotional support governor,” Megyn noted.
Harris and Walz will sit together for the interview with Bash that will be taped in Savannah, Georgia, as part of a campaign stop and air Thursday at 9pm ET. “I’m sure she didn’t want [it to be live] because she can go back to CNN if she has some massive fall down and say, ‘Please take that out’ or ‘That part wasn’t fair, don’t air that,’” Megyn said. “Plus, the nerve factor is lower when it’s not live. And CNN accommodated.”
In a press release, CNN promised the interview “will present Harris with the first chance to elucidate her position on various domestic and foreign issues during a campaign that has so far been heavy on vibes but light on concrete policy.” She will also “have a chance – if she chooses – to explain how her positions might differ from Biden.”
Based on the circumstances, Megyn is not expecting much. “There is not going to be some massive fall down moment. Dana Bash, while definitely more sympathetic to the Democrats, doesn’t want to torch her career in this sit down,” she said. “She understands she is going to have to push back a little, but, just to be clear, they are not going in there with somebody who is in any way sympathetic towards Team Trump.”
Splitting Time
While it is not unusual for running mates to give an interview together over the course of an election cycle, it is unusual for the first interview either nominee gives to be in a group setting.
As Megyn explained, Walz is there as a crutch for Harris and that could prove tricky. “What is going to be really interesting about it is: Does he jump in to save her,” she asked. “I wonder whether he will have the nerve to do it? Would he actually step in? Because he knows that that will undermine her and yet that is his purpose for being there.”
But there is another benefit to having Walz present. “Even if she doesn’t use the big white blankie in that way, it’s half the questions,” Megyn added. “She is sitting down with Dana Bash, but she only has to do it for half the allotted time because he will get the rest of the questions.”
One and Done?
This interview, in Knowles’ view, will likely be a first and last for Harris. “She has to give one interview in the same way that she has to do one debate – but that’s it,” he said. “She is not good at interviews. She is not good at debates. And so the… campaign [is] going to give the bare minimum that they have to give to look voters in the totally straight face and say, ‘You can vote for me. I am confident I can do the job.'”
While Megyn doesn’t expect Harris “to totally crumble,” she believes Americans will tune in to see how she handles herself. “I actually think people will watch this because it’s like, can she speak,” she asked. “I mean, we are all wondering because we have been sold this bill of goods over the past five weeks. So, has she been magically transformed?”
Regardless, Megyn the parameters of this interview are not appropriate for someone seeking the highest elected office in the land. “It doesn’t inspire confidence… [if] she can’t even do a sit-down interview on her own… That is not how the presidency is supposed to work,” she said. “You are a single individual imbued with a lot of power… and you don’t get to do it with your big white blankie right next to you.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Knowles by tuning in to episode 872 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.