Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make her debut on Fox News, in an apparent attempt to appeal to conservative voters in the final weeks of the campaign. Her decision to engage with Fox News comes after facing criticism from conservatives for not doing enough unscripted interviews earlier in the election cycle. This marks her first-ever interview with the outlet, scheduled for Bret Baier’s Special Report. In addition to Fox News, Harris will participate in a CNN town hall moderated by Anderson Cooper on October 23 in Pennsylvania.
The decision for Harris to appear on Fox News is seen as a calculated risk, as the network has a history of giving unfair favorable coverage to Donald Trump. Despite the risks of an unscripted interview, Harris seeks access to a large and potentially persuadable audience that watches Fox News. Erika Franklin Fowler, a government professor, noted that while the interview may not be a game-changer, it offers Harris an opportunity to shape media narratives and demonstrate outreach to a broader audience. The biggest risk, according to Fowler, is the potential for poor answers to be used against Harris in campaign attacks.
Natalie J. Stroud, a communications professor, emphasized that Harris needs to clarify her policy positions for an undecided or skeptical audience. This includes addressing shifts in her stance on various issues since her presidential campaign in 2019 and differentiating her presidency from Joe Biden’s. Stroud believes that success in the Fox News interview would involve effectively communicating Harris’s vision to an audience that may not typically hear her message directly. The rationale behind Harris’s decision to appear on Fox News is to potentially sway undecided voters, especially right-leaning individuals who may be questioning their support for Trump.
Harris’s appearance on Fox News is part of her broader media strategy, where she has already done interviews on shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Howard Stern Show, as well as a traditional candidate interview on 60 Minutes. By reaching out to various outlets, Harris aims to connect with a diverse set of viewers and voters. The vice president’s running mate, Tim Walz, and Democratic Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have received praise for their effective messaging on Fox News. Overall, appearing on different platforms allows candidates to engage with a wider audience and contribute to a more democratic discussion during the campaign season.
In conclusion, Kamala Harris’s decision to appear on Fox News represents a strategic move to communicate her vision to a broader audience, including potentially persuadable conservative voters. This calculated risk comes amidst criticisms and concerns about Harris’s lack of unscripted interviews earlier in the election cycle. By engaging with Fox News, Harris aims to shape media narratives, clarify her policy positions, and differentiate her presidency from Joe Biden’s. This move reflects an effort to reach out to diverse viewers and voters, building on the campaign’s overall media strategy to connect with a wide range of audiences during the final weeks of the election.
