Vice President Kamala Harris has been criticized for avoiding interviews and press conferences, with some accusing her of being more dismissive of the media than former President Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris's media avoidance has come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans, with many accusing her of being more dismissive of the press than former President Trump.
"Real Time" host Bill Maher sparked the debate on Friday when he suggested that Harris's cold shoulder to the press is "more insulting" than Trump's years-long verbal attacks against news organizations.
Kamala Harris's Media Avoidance Draws Criticism from Both Sides of the Aisle
"What do you think about the fact that Kamala doesn't talk to the press?" Maher asked CNN's Kaitlan Collins.
"In a way, I feel like it's more insulting than what Trump does," Maher continued. "Trump says you're ‘the enemy of the people,’ which is pretty bad. What she's kind of saying is, 'I don't need you. I'm not talking to you. You don't matter. You're not relevant anymore to me.' To me, that's even worse than ‘I hate you.’ It's like 'I don't think about you.'"
Kamala Harris's Media Avoidance Draws Criticism from Both Sides of the Aisle
Collins responded that she "doesn't know if it's worse than denigrating the press on a daily basis, which is what Donald Trump did."
"I covered him in the White House every day as a correspondent," Collins said. "And, you know, oftentimes to kind of, you know, shake you if you're asking him a question, he would try to get into a personal argument with you, or just deny or lie about what you were asking about."
Kamala Harris's Media Avoidance Draws Criticism from Both Sides of the Aisle
"And so I don't know if I would compare the two," Collins added.
But Maher maintained that Harris should be more accessible to the press.
Kamala Harris's Media Avoidance Draws Criticism from Both Sides of the Aisle
"I do think she should talk to the press," Collins said. "I think anyone who wants to have access to the nuclear codes should be willing to sit down and take questions."
Harris has not given an interview or held a press conference since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee more than a month ago. Trump, meanwhile, has regularly made himself available to the press, both before and after he left office.
Earlier this month, Harris suggested she would schedule an interview before the end of August. But when asked by Fox News' Peter Doocy on Thursday whether she was ready to grant an interview with Fox News, Harris jokingly replied "I'm working toward it."
Harris's media avoidance has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
"I think it's important for any public figure, especially someone who is running for president, to be accessible to the press," said Democratic strategist James Carville. "It's part of the job."
"Kamala Harris's media avoidance is a disservice to the American people," said Republican strategist Karl Rove. "She is running for the highest office in the land, and she should be willing to answer questions from the press."
Harris's supporters have defended her media avoidance, arguing that she is simply trying to focus on her campaign and that she is not obligated to give interviews to every reporter who asks.
"Kamala Harris is a busy woman," said Democratic strategist Donna Brazile. "She has a lot on her plate, and she is not going to waste her time on interviews with reporters who are just trying to make headlines."
But critics argue that Harris's media avoidance is a sign that she is not ready for the scrutiny that comes with being president.
"If Kamala Harris can't handle a few tough questions from the press, how is she going to handle the pressures of being president?" Rove said.
