Senator Chris Coons, a co-chair of Kamala Harris’ campaign, struggled to defend the vice president’s reluctance to engage in press interviews during a recent appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box. Host Joe Kernen pressed Coons on Harris’ decision to decline an invitation from Fox News, instead opting for a CNN appearance.
Coons attempted to deflect the criticism by pointing out that former President Donald Trump had also rejected an invitation from CNN. However, Kernen was unimpressed by this response, and Coons was left to pivot to a discussion of international concerns about America’s role in the world.
Coons cited the United Nations session as a reason for his presence in New York, but this explanation fell flat. The senator’s focus on foreign leaders’ anxieties about the US election cycle seemed out of touch with the concerns of American voters, who are more likely to be worried about the rising cost of living under the Biden-Harris administration.
The exchange highlighted the perception that Harris is avoiding tough questions and scrutiny, and that her campaign is more focused on appealing to international elites than addressing the pressing issues facing American voters. As one critic noted, the vice president’s reluctance to engage with the press is a sign of her own incompetence and inability to grasp the fundamental concerns of the electorate.
