After weeks of pressure to sit down for a substantial interview, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, will talk Thursday with CNN’s Dana Bash.
Vice President Kamala Harris is finally sitting down for an in-depth interview tonight, her first since replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket over a month ago. She will be joined by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The announcement comes after weeks of pressure and questions as to why Harris hasn’t made herself available to the press. The Trump campaign, which has kept a running tally of how many days it’s been since Harris did an interview, questioned the timing of the sit-down.
“Kamala has mustered up the courage to sit for a joint interview after 39 days of hiding out from reporters,” the campaign said in a statement. “It’s no coincidence that Kamala and Walz’s first interview is scheduled for the Thursday night before Labor Day weekend. They already hope it gets lost – and it hasn’t even aired yet. Kamala is scared to interview on her own and it’s pre-taped so they can clean it up if things go badly.”
For her part, Harris travels with members of the press on Air Force Two and routinely takes questions, though those conversations are largely off-the-record. Here’s a look at what to expect at Thursday’s on-the-record interview:
Who Is Interviewing Harris and Walz?
CNN anchor Dana Bash will interview Harris and Walz at the network’s headquarters in Atlanta as they continue their bus tour through Georgia. Bash is CNN’s chief political correspondent, anchor of “Inside Politics with Dana Bash” and co-anchor of “State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.” She also moderates CNN’s political town hall specials.
This marks another milestone for both CNN and Bash, who co-moderated the now-infamous presidential debate in June between Biden and Trump that ultimately led to Biden ending his reelection bid. Earlier this year, Bash co-moderated the Republican presidential primary debate, which Trump did not attend.
What Can Voters Expect From the CNN Interview?
While the message of “joy” that the party pushed during the Democratic National Convention was well-received, viewers will be looking to hear more about Harris and Walz’s policy ideas, says David Richards, head of the political science department at the University of Lynchburg.
“Harris and Walz need to lay out some concrete policy solutions that voters can grab onto,” Richards says. “They want to see if the ideas that Harris and Walz have match their own. Do they offer policies that solve the average American’s problems? Americans are dealing with economic issues. Do Harris and Walz understand that and can they speak to that? Will they fight, or at least say they will fight for the little guy?”
“The interview will present Harris with the first chance to elucidate her position on various domestic and foreign issues during a campaign that has so far been heavy on vibes but light on concrete policy. She will also have a chance – if she chooses – to explain how her positions might differ from Biden.”
How to Watch the Joint Harris-Walz Interview
The Harris-Walz interview will air across all CNN platforms for paying customers live at 9 p.m. EST. That includes CNN.com, CNN-connected TV, and mobile apps.
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