Who would you like to talk to?
Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign is asking reporters for advice on which media outlets she should choose for her first in-person interview as the Democratic presidential candidate, which the California native hopes to schedule by the end of the month.
Harris, who became the Democratic Party's standard-bearer after President Biden announced on July 21 that he would not seek a second term, has yet to hold formal one-on-one meetings or lay out a comprehensive policy agenda.
According to PoliticoAccording to the Daily Mail, which reported on contacts between the Harris campaign and media professionals, television producers have been in touch on behalf of “big name anchors” urging them to use their talents to grill the vice president.
The campaign is reportedly divided by disagreements over the medium, timing and format of future interviews.
One idea being promoted is to put Harris in the spotlight in front of major news anchors, but according to Politico, the vice president himself has opposed the need for a “flashy” sit-down.
The use of vice presidential running mate Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, in a solo spot could also be a negative, as there are reportedly concerns that Walz doesn't fully understand Harris' (lighter) policy agenda.
“I've spoken with the team,” Harris told reporters on Aug. 8. “I'm hoping to schedule an interview by the end of this month.”
Harris' team did not respond to The Washington Post's inquiries on Tuesday about her interview plans, but campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon reiterated as recently as Thursday that Harris “plans to conduct an interview by the end of the month.”
The lack of media access to Harris is reminiscent of the Biden presidency, when the 81-year-old commander in chief held fewer press conferences and relied on pre-selected reporters when he did.
During Harris' tenure as vice president, her team carefully managed interactions with the media, even calling reporters before private meetings on Air Force Two to try to figure out what questions they might have, even though they could not report anything Harris said at the time.
