Vice President Kamala Harris was slammed by critics for her performance on Thursday in her first interview since becoming the Democratic nominee.
Republican and conservative figures have been nudging Harris to finally do this interview, but many of them have relentlessly mocked the presidential candidate on everything from her appearance to some of the responses she gave when pressed about key issues by CNN's Dana Bash.
Harris, 59, used the interview as a way to appease Republicans, insisting that she would appoint Republicans to her Cabinet if she wins the Nov. 5 election and arguing that there is value in diversity of opinion.
Yet critics on the right ignored that and found plenty of ammunition to attack her in the interview.
“Kamala Harris is hugely committed to diversity of opinion and has taken every position on every issue!” Matthew Forde, editor in chief of the Washington Reporter, quipped on X.
“Kamala Harris is so incompetent that she completely collapsed during a very friendly interview on CNN. There's a reason why the Harris campaign kept her in the dark for about 40 days and didn't allow her to do any interviews. She's a disaster,” Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra posted on X.
“Kamala Harris is acting as if the real Donald Trump was in power for the last four years, which is very odd,” complained Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino.
“Kamala Harris got Dana Bash's name wrong…she must be a racist,” said Kevin Smith, a self-described conservative Republican.
Some of Harris' supporters have blasted critics who mispronounce her name, saying she pronounces it “Kamala” while others say “Kamala” or “Kumala.”
“Why is Kamala Harris hunched? Her answer is strong, but with weird body language, looking down,” mused media personality Colby Hall.
“Body language experts will be thrilled with Kamala Harris' interview. The lack of confidence is astounding! Kamala constantly looking down and away communicates extreme weakness. What a shame they're hiding this from the record,” slammed user Andrew Paine.
Vivek Ramaswami, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, criticized Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign for her response to a question about whether she had supported a ban on fracking in the past.
“In 2019, Kamala Harris said she would absolutely ban fracking. Now she says she will not ban fracking. Tonight on CNN she said her position on banning fracking has not changed,” Ramaswamy wrote on X.
“At least one of these three statements must be false. This is not a partisan opinion, it's just logic.”
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, scolding his Democratic rival.
“I look forward to debating Comrade Kamala Harris and exposing her as the fraud she is. She has reversed all of her long-held positions,” Trump said. The truth of societyHe later described the interview as “boring.”
Trump and Harris are scheduled to face off in a debate hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia on September 10.
The 45th president and his allies have criticized Ms. Harris for weeks for rarely answering reporters' questions on the record. Mr. Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, have increased their media outreach, including more press conferences and interviews, to draw a sharper contrast with Ms. Harris.
Harris waited about 40 days after Biden dropped out of the race to sit down for an interview.
