Vice President Kamala Harris has faced criticism for choosing to bring running mate Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, to her first interview since President Biden gave up on reelection, with critics arguing it was a “weak” move that showed a “lack of confidence” on Harris's part.
The 59-year-old Harris is due to appear alongside her number two in a “joint interview” to be broadcast on CNN on Thursday night.
The decision was quickly criticized by those who accused the Democratic presidential candidate of using Walz as a bulwark as he prepared to defend his record and policies after weeks of avoiding such interactions.
“I think it's incredibly weak to show up with your own running mate,” Scott Jennings, a special assistant to former President George W. Bush, told CNN late Tuesday, adding that the move showed a “disturbing lack of confidence in her political abilities.”
“As a voter, you wonder, 'What kind of president am I going to be?'” he continued, “I think Republicans are going to view effectively campaigning with someone who spends half their time with them as pretty weak.”
