Critics say CNN’s Bash used ‘kid gloves’ with Harris and Walz, while Vance ‘grilled’

Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for her first media interview Thursday since ascending the Democratic presidential ticket, with some critics arguing the CNN interviewer should have taken a tougher approach similar to an interview just weeks before with former President Trump’s running mate. CNN’s Dana Bash interviewed Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for a total of roughly 26 pretaped minutes, which aired Thursday night. Harris was asked about inconsistencies in her political record, Trump’s personal attacks and what she would accomplish on day one in the Oval Office. Walz was asked about comments he made on the campaign trail related to his military service — that he once carried weapons in war, though he was never deployed to a war zone. KAMALA HARRIS OFFERS VAGUE ‘DAY 1’ OVAL OFFICE PLAN IN CNN INTERVIEW: ‘A NUMBER OF THINGS’ “Mixed marks for Bash, who pushed on some necessary subjects, but missed glaring follow-ups,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X. More specifically, Vanessa Santos, president of Renegade PR, told Fox News Digital on Friday, “Dana was fired up when she grilled JD about his ‘cat lady’ comments. If she would’ve brought even half of that energy to the Harris-Walz interview, voters might have learned something last night.” “Instead, she let their nonsensical answers go unchecked and unchallenged,” she said. Bash asked Walz during the interview, “You said that you carried weapons in war, but you have never actually deployed in a war zone. Walz replied, “I’m incredibly proud. I’ve done 24 years of wearing the uniform of this country, equally proud of my service in a public-school classroom, whether it’s Congress or the governor. My record speaks for itself, but I think people are coming to get to know me. And again, my record has been out there for over 40 years to speak for itself.” I said we were talking about, in this case, this was after a school shooting, the idea of carrying these weapons of war. And, my wife, the English teacher, she told me my grammar is not always correct,” he said. In contrast, during her interview earlier this month with Vance, Bash pressed the Ohio senator for roughly six minutes about his leading the charge on criticizing Walz’s characterization of his military record, challenging his criticisms three separate times during the segment. ON DODGING THE MEDIA, KAMALA HARRIS ‘OWES RESPONSES’ TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SAYS CAMPAIGN ADVISER But critics argued that Bash didn’t ask the hard-hitting questions Americans wanted to hear during her interview of Harris and Walz on Thursday. In one light exchange, Bash questioned Harris about a viral photo of Harris’ young niece watching her speech at the Democratic National Convention. Bash asked. Harris replied, “I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender. And she listens to everything,” Harris replied. Bash asked. “Oh, yeah, definitely,” Harris said. Michael Knowles, host of the conservative talk radio show “The Michael Knowles Show,” commented, “Dana Bash only did a bad job if you consider her to be a serious journalist.” “In reality, her job was not to ask tough questions, as she did of JD Vance, but rather to allow Kamala Harris to check the box of having endured an uneventful interview,” he told Fox News Digital. Link Lauren, a TikTok influencer and former senior campaign adviser for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., told Fox News Digital, “It was as if Dana Bash was leading the witness.” “She would give options for Kamala to choose from — as if this was the SAT multiple-choice section,” said Lauren. It’s unfortunate she didn’t deploy those skills with Harris and Walz and instead put on kid gloves,” said Santos. Santos added that Bash “allowing Walz to blame ‘bad grammar’ for lying about his military record seems like a politically motivated tactic, and is a disservice to Americans.” ‘WHATEVER’: DEMOCRATS REACT TO KAMALA HARRIS’ LACK OF INTERVIEWS Conversely, some critics say Bash leaned too far into “right-wing talking points” and should have had a more original line of questioning with Harris and Walz. Sami Sage, co-founder of Betches Media, posted on X, “the CNN interview summarized: Dana Bash: why did you [right wing talking point]? CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott commented, “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz gave a perfectly thoughtful, insightful interview. But the press continues to be plagued by an inability to interview Democrats without the entire conversation being framed as, ‘What is your response to this false Republican talking point?’” He added, “Framing an interview this way is an absolute disservice to viewers.” Howard Kurtz, host of Media Buzz on Fox News, said, “Anchor Dana Bash did a fine job of pressing the vice president and following up–she does it in a low-key style.” The New York Times said, “Dana Bash navigated a tough night adeptly,” and went on to say, “in a setting arranged by the Harris campaign to appear friendly — just three people sitting together at a neighborhood coffee shop in Savannah — it was going to be difficult for Ms. Bash to extract much news out of the vice president. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/critics-say-cnns-dana-bash-pulled-punches-sit-down-kamala-harris-contrary-jd-vance-interview