This is an adapted excerpt from the Oct. 7 episode of “Inside with Jen Psaki.”
For weeks, Republicans have been hemming and hawing about how Vice President Kamala Harris is avoiding the press. Well, it seems they’re going to have to find something else to complain about because Harris is in the middle of a media blitz.
On Monday, CBS’ “60 Minutes” aired an in-depth interview with the vice president, which came a day after Harris appeared on the popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast, hosted by Alex Cooper. On Tuesday, Harris’ whirlwind day of media appearances includes “The View” on ABC, “The Howard Stern Show” on SiriusXM radio, and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS.
The problem for them is that the way people consume information and the way the public looks for information have completely evolved.
And yet, perhaps predictably, the more traditional, legacy Washington, D.C.-based media outlets are still spitting mad. Politico Playbook is complaining that “Harris is … still largely avoiding the media,” noting “Most of these are not the types of interviews that are going to press her on issues she may not want to talk about.” The New York Times also focused on the “friendly” nature of the interviews, stating the Harris campaign was “unlikely to place her in front of many aggressive inquisitors.”
Let me give you a little insight into why traditional media is so upset about this. It’s not because they think they reach more people; they don’t. It’s not because they’re going to ask different questions than “60 Minutes.” It’s definitely not because they’re going to ask more creative or outside-the-box questions than Cooper, the hosts of “The View” or Colbert. It’s because their relevance relies on being the sole arbiters of asking the questions.
But the problem for them is that the way people consume information and the way the public looks for information have completely evolved — and I don’t say that lightly.
I stood at the front of the White House briefing room and answered questions from a room full of legacy, Washington-based journalists every day because I respect what they do and the role of the press. I also suffered through years of criticism for what was considered a less traditional media strategy, including when I was the communications director for President Barack Obama.
We did things that the traditional press did not deem hard-hitting or presidential enough. Like an interview with Bear Grylls to talk about climate change or an interview with Vice inside a prison to talk about criminal justice reform or, of course, the biggest violation: sitting down with Zach Galifianakis on “Between Two Ferns” to talk about health care. Now, I wish I could take credit for that one — hats off to former Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer — because it drove hundreds of thousands of people to the online portal where they could sign up for affordable insurance plans.
My point is this: The job of a president is not to satisfy the demands of the major networks or the major daily newspapers. It’s to connect with the people who may not be clicking refresh on WhiteHouse.gov or subscribing to any Washington insider newsletters. And for a presidential candidate, especially when people are already voting, your job is to excite and engage more people to support your candidacy — people who probably don’t watch my show, frankly. The job of a president is not to satisfy the demands of the major networks or the major daily newspapers. I’m not saying that press conferences or interviews with major networks are bad. They are all important parts of our democracy. But this notion that the only people capable of asking a presidential candidate a question are credentialed members of the White House press corps is, well, as insane as it sounds. So, if you are the Harris campaign and you know there are no more debates, no more conventions, and have fewer than 30 days left to reach more voters, this plan makes a lot of sense. And right now, having a conversation with Alex Cooper, who has about 5 million listeners per episode, is far more valuable than any interview with a more traditional outlet, maybe even “60 Minutes.”
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW.
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