NBC News Engages in Hard-Hitting Journalism by Asking Kamala Harris ‘How Do You Feel?’
“Madam Vice President, how do you feel tonight? Congratulations to you.”
There has been a calculated press avoidance strategy for Vice President Kamala Harris ever since party leaders, the Obama machine, and megadonors forced President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race in July and endorse her in his place.
Even her handlers, I should note, are avoiding the press:
🚨Kamala Harris' campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodríguez runs away when asked if she will ever do an interview or a press conference.pic.twitter.com/HcRv7ZOGEI
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 23, 2024
While the tactic has rightly raised eyebrows and concerns among conservative writers and independent journalists, the mainstream media doesn’t seem too hot and bothered by it with some, including several CNN anchors, openly suggesting during this week’s Democrat National Convention in Chicago that perhaps Harris should continue the basement strategy through the November election because in their view it seems to be working so well for her:
CNN's Erin Burnett wonders if Kamala Harris should "ignore all those calls to talk" to the media "and just keep doing what she's doing." pic.twitter.com/UsiaKDebMP
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 21, 2024
"It's a vibes election!" proclaims Kasie Hunt.
CNN doubles down on encouraging Kamala to NOT do interviews and NOT talk about her "policy prescriptions."
CNN joined with Dems in scoffing at the idea that Americans care to learn about policy. pic.twitter.com/BHT7urKZQJ— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 22, 2024
One would think that now that Harris is officially the Democrat nominee after this week’s convention the media would finally turn up the heat and start doing their jobs. But that was not to be, as evidenced by what NBC News senior White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell asked Harris after her Thursday night speech.
O’Donnell, who previously served as the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, was waiting backstage at the United Center when Harris and her entourage, which included Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, her vice presidential running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, and his wife, Gwen, walked by on their way out of the arena.
As Harris headed in her direction, O’Donnell had a prime opportunity to ask her a hard-hitting question or two, since this is apparently the only way reporters get to pose questions to the veep these days. And to be fair, there was no guarantee she would get an answer considering the source.
It was worth a try, though. But instead of asking Kamala Harris anything about claims made in her speech, her policy positions, and other important issues, O’Donnell simply asked Harris how she was feeling.
“Madam Vice President, how do you feel tonight? Congratulations to you,” O’Donnell said, repeating her congratulations to the Walz family as well.
Watch:
We happened to chat with @VP Harris, Mr Emhoff, Gov and Mrs Walz briefly as they left the United Center tonight. pic.twitter.com/5S2nWsHvbE
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) August 23, 2024
As one can see from the clip, Harris was clearly open to talking, as evidenced by her short chat with O’Donnell’s colleague, Peter Alexander – who also didn’t ask any tough questions. But O’Donnell simply chose to treat the moment as a celebratory one rather than one where she, as a journalist, asks probing questions to a public official in the name of accountability.
The Twitter/X machine was not kind to O’Donnell in the aftermath:
Kelly O’Donnell no one has interviewed Kamala Harris since the coup happened. Now you have the opportunity to be the first journalist to do it. What’s your question?
“How do you feel” sums up the whole campaign, media & DNC. @JackPosobiec https://t.co/JEOzxtRx9T
— Eric Pistey (@shawnpisteySC) August 23, 2024
EXCLUSIVE!!!!
Earth shattering breaking news, as @KellyO has a rare interview with the elusive Democrat candiadate!– "How do you feel?"
That is…that…oh holy hell…
How are you not embarassed by this, let alone willing to post this shamefulness on social media?! https://t.co/iBe4K1805D pic.twitter.com/v7qq8PeTYA— Brad Slager – Folksy as Walz & Joyful As a K-Hive! (@MartiniShark) August 23, 2024
Reporter finally gets a chance to question Kamala Harris. "How are you feeling? Congratulations."
In case anybody wonders how the Dems can get away with this facade, that explains it all. https://t.co/lZzQnccHgI
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) August 23, 2024
Kelly, you should've asked "who are you wearing?" as that has more journalistic integrity than "how do you feel tonight?" https://t.co/u3fY6FtCLo
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) August 23, 2024
What’s most important and instructive about this is not that it happened, but that she felt totally comfortable posting it. No sense of shame or embarrassment, no worry about professional blowback. They’re on the same team – and proud of it. https://t.co/rz9Gn0Dz5Z
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) August 23, 2024
I wonder if O'Donnell will get nominated for pulitzer for this. https://t.co/qBCtlWZlRt
— Kris Kinder (@kris_kinder) August 23, 2024
I wouldn’t put it past them!
The incident reminded me of another embarrassing moment in journalism from 2019 when Harris—who was then a presidential candidate was in South Carolina, and several female reporters were making fashion recommendations and gushing over a rainbow-colored sequin jacket Harris was trying on:
We kind of forced @kamalaharris to try on this awesome oversized rainbow sequin jacket … She snapped it up. @alivitali perfectly named it as “the Mardi Gras Jacket” #2020 #SouthCarolina #CampaignFashionReport pic.twitter.com/2G0NFRkKL6
— Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) February 16, 2019
.@KamalaHarris trying this amazing rainbow coat (to me this screams Mardi Gras coat!), inspired by an inquiry from @MaeveReston of #campaignfashionreport fame. pic.twitter.com/iAvcYN9l5i
— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) February 16, 2019
When the campaign trail takes you to a boutique, and @MaeveReston spots a great sequined jacket for @KamalaHarris to try on. #campaignfashionreport pic.twitter.com/38bYJKqjRI
— Caitlin Huey-Burns (@CHueyBurns) February 16, 2019
They are just as shameless now as they were then, and completely hopeless. I mean I wouldn’t be shocked if one of them on down the road asked her what her favorite fruit smoothie flavor is, because that’s about where we’re headed at this point.
It’s incredibly pathetic, but it’s just who they are.
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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slightly better than:
boxer or briefs??
They could corner her with some hardball questions like they threw at Joe Biden such as, “What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?”
his answer?
harris
2024 debate:
trump: kamala ,what do you think about a scotus justice who says they cant define what a female is?
and will you right now define what a female is!!????
It’s the Biden Basement Strategy above ground and in the open.
and the sheep are lining up to elect a Judas goat
“CNN joined with Dems in scoffing at the idea that Americans care to learn about policy.”
They’re right. All half of them want is just their next celebrity queen.
In Majipoor terminology, a Coronal.
At least in Majipoor, the Coronal eventually became the Pontifex, the actual hard-working (swamp) governor of the planet. Kamala will never get that chance, nor frankly would she ever be up to it.
Echoes of 2009, when Jeff Zeleny, then with the ToNY, asked BO, at his first news conference since the election, how much he was “…surprised, troubled, enchanted, and humbled…” by his first few days in office.
“How do you feel?” is the sole concern of half of the voters.
I generally feel with my fingers and hands. Not sure about Mrs. Emhoff.
The Harris campaign is really working the AWFL/SUV Mom emotive demographic very hard.
She is maximizing her chances to win. The basement campaign won for Biden (and he couldn’t think). That’s clearly her plan, as well. It might work. She’s got nothing else.
Hillary Clinton supposedly bumped head on the glass ceiling…or perhaps it was a glass champagne bottle. But Kamala Harris is so low, the only way she will ever reach the ceiling is if Musk gives her a ride on SpaceX.
Are y’all sure that was Kelly O’Donnell? That question sounds like it came from Peter Frampton…
🙂 !!!!!!!
It’s okay. The more it happens, the more it reinforces the perception that she is incapable and hiding.
Do people want someone for president they know nothing about? Is that a wise choice to make?
It’s the same thing w/ Biden too, we all knew his favorite ice cream flavor. For Obama he was made into this great orator of our times; and his speeches were declared “required readings.” I had my friends from other countries asking me to mail them “Hope” shorts with his face on it. His website sold Obama nail polish and barbie dolls of him and Michelle. Just remember we haven’t quite reached this level with Harris because she doesn’t have the G-d cult status, while they are trying, it just isn’t clicking, at least not yet.