ESPN host Stephen A. Smith rages over Harris avoiding interviews: ‘What you hiding for?’
Harris has yet to do a serious media interview 25 days into her presidential campaign
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ESPN host Stephen A. Smith grilled Vice President Kamala Harris for continuing to avoid interviews and press conferences since the de facto start of her presidential campaign.
Already 25 days into her campaign, Harris has yet to take questions from members of the media, save for brief gaggles lasting just a few minutes. Smith, who openly admitted she has his support, berated Harris for the strategy during a recent episode of his podcast.
"That’s not fair," the sports broadcaster declared during a recent episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTERS UNSURE WHEN ASKED ABOUT VP'S POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Stephen A. Smith grilled Vice President Kamala Harris over her avoiding serious media interviews since the start of her campaign. (Jim Cowsert/NBAE |Andrew Harnik / Staff)
Smith began by laying out a timeline of her campaign to express how long she’s gone without being held accountable by the mainstream press.
"Now, Joe Biden stepped down — stepped aside — as the presumptive Democratic nominee on July 21st, OK? Now I’m going to look at this right now. I’m looking at my calendar, because I just wanted to make sure, you know? July 21 was a Sunday," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Smith continued, "We’ve had one week, two weeks, three weeks and one day since Joe Biden stepped aside. The only damn place we’ve seen Kamala Harris is at pep rallies."
"What’s up?" he asked. "Somebody gotta say something, and it can’t just be the conservatives. Right is right."
Making a direct appeal to the presumptive Democratic candidate, Smith added, "I’m talking to my sister here. Come on now. You're running for the presidency of the United States of America. You got my vote. You're running for the presidency of the United States of America. What you hiding for?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Somebody got to say it," he added.
The Harris campaign’s strategy of avoiding the press has been heavily criticized by her political opponents and conservative media in recent weeks, though some members of the mainstream media have decided to call her out as well.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Saturday. (AP/Julia Nikhinson)
The left-leaning Washington Post editorial board challenged Harris over dodging the media on Sunday, saying of her opponent, "at least he has taken questions." The Post said she should account for her numerous policy shifts, including on fracking, border security and private health insurance.
Liberal CNN anchor Jim Acosta chided the campaign about the issue on Wednesday, asking communications director Michael Tyler, "Would it kill you guys" to do one? Tyler laughed before reiterating Harris' vague pledge to do an interview by the end of the month.
Smith continued: "Now, you can’t be running for the presidency of the United States, not one single press conference, not one single one-on-one, sit-down interview with somebody [that] gets to question you about the questions that we ask — that’s not fair!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He then absolved conservatives who have been grilling Harris over this issue.
"And if you a conservative and you out there lambasting her for it, ridiculing her for it, trying to torment her for it or whatever, it is perfectly within your right to do so. All of you anti-conservatives out there, shut the hell up," he said.
The host then stated that Harris is "attached to the Biden record" and can be grilled for it, "especially when you were bragging about the record."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We talked about Biden being a transformative president. Well, stand on it then. Stand on it," Smith urged the vice president.