Vice-President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic ticket for US president, are set to make a big splash with their first joint interview. The two politicians have agreed to sit down with CNN in Georgia for an interview that will air on Thursday at 21:00 EDT (02:00 BST).
This interview marks the candidates’ first in-depth on-the-record conversation with a reporter since President Joe Biden exited the race and endorsed Ms. Harris as his replacement over five weeks ago. Since then, Republicans have criticized Harris for appearing to avoid the press and leaving voters in the dark about her presidential plans.
The interview will serve as a crucial test for Harris and Walz as running mates, providing them with an opportunity to address the criticism they have faced. It also fulfills a promise made by the vice-president to schedule a sit-down before the end of the month.
Following their high-profile speeches at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris will continue on to a bus tour of the battleground state of Georgia after the interview. This interview will be one of the few opportunities for voters nationwide to hear more about the Harris-Walz campaign’s policy positions before the upcoming election, which is only 70 days away.
Critics, including Republicans and members of the media, have been vocal about the campaign’s lack of concrete policy positions or interviews during Harris’s run for president. President Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance have both criticized Harris for avoiding tough questions from reporters, with Vance calling her press avoidance “shameful.”
Despite the criticism, national opinion polls show Harris leading Trump ahead of the November presidential election. A recent poll from Farleigh Dickinson University suggests that Harris is beating Trump nationally by seven points, marking a significant turnaround for Democrats who were previously falling behind in multiple races.
As the interview with CNN approaches, all eyes will be on Harris and Walz as they aim to address the criticism and solidify their campaign’s policy positions in the eyes of voters.
