Comedian Dave Smith mentioned to Tucker Carlson, co-founder of the Daily Caller News Foundation, that former Vice President Kamala Harris has yet to appear on Joe Rogan’s widely-known podcast.
Despite an “open invitation” extended to her during the 2024 presidential campaign last October, Harris’ team missed the chance due to “scheduling” conflicts, as reported by Deadline. In discussing the evolving media landscape on The Tucker Carlson Show, Carlson asked Smith about the future of this movement.
“That’s a good question. It’s tough to say. It’s a very new model, so making predictions is tricky,” Smith acknowledged. “We really don’t have a clear picture. One thing I’ve realized is that—these days—it’s best not to look too far ahead. It’s even hard to envision what 2028 will look like, but I think JD Vance might be someone to watch.”
He reflected on Harris’ campaign and compared it to Joe Biden’s, noting that Biden was perceived as an older figure. “You could see that younger Biden might not have been exceptionally sharp, but he perhaps had a different political edge than Harris,” he added.
In July, former President Biden announced he would withdraw from the race, endorsing Harris. Throughout her campaign, it seemed she shied away from in-depth policy discussions, which was evident when she reversed many stances she had taken before 2020.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has made waves in the new media space. Podcasters like Theo Von, wrestler Mark Calaway, and comedian Andrew Schultz have featured him, with one of his last appearances being a three-hour unscripted conversation with Rogan that garnered millions of views.
Smith commented on Harris declining Rogan’s invitation. “It might have been a strategic decision, after all. If you’re working on her campaign, your main goal should be to protect her image,” he stated.
He continued, “Kamala Harris isn’t necessarily suited for extended, open-ended discussions like that. Sure, Donald Trump has his flaws, but he is built for it. I bet he could talk for eight hours.”
After Trump’s podcast episode aired, Harris’ campaign quickly tried to distance herself from the popular show, claiming a missed opportunity for a conversation was due to a request for “travel” from Rogan.
In February, Rogan addressed claims from a new book by NBC’s Jonathan Allen and Hill’s Amy Parnes, stating that one of his team members could not interview Harris on the same day as Trump because it was a “personal day.” Rogan clarified that his team hadn’t misrepresented Trump’s interview date, although it seemed there was some confusion about the bookings.
“Just think about what it will mean for 2028. Candidates will be expected to manage a three-hour podcast interview,” Smith pointed out. “This shifts everything. We really need to understand candidates as individuals because the length of the conversation matters less than revealing who they are. It’s becoming the new normal.”
