Harris campaign silent on when VP will hold press conference as Trump gears up for second one this week

WASHINGTON, DC: The Kamala Harris campaign has not disclosed the date or reason for Vice President Kamala Harris' first formal news conference since she became the Democratic Party's nominee. Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump is getting ready for his second press conference in a week this afternoon.

Harris assumed the role of de facto Democratic nominee as President Joe Biden withdrew from the campaign and gave Harris his endorsement on July 21. After receiving the president's endorsement 25 days ago, Harris has not participated in a formal press conference or sit-down interview with the media. Less than two weeks later, she formally secured the nomination in a "virtual" roll-call vote.

Kamala Harris campaign's spokesperson pressed about the issue during interviews on news shows

Fox News reports that this week the campaign was questioned about whether or not a formal press conference was planned, when it would take place, and why the vice president hasn't held one in over three weeks. The requests received no response from the campaign.

In interviews on news shows, Harris campaign's spokesperson has been questioned on the matter but has declined to comment. Rather, Harris and her campaign staff have stated that she intends to have a sit-down interview by the end of August. There is currently no information available regarding the interview's date or the publication hosting it.

"I’ve talked to my team, I want us to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month," Harris said last week after a campaign event in Michigan. 

Kamala Harris has been busy touring the nation for the last three weeks

The vice president has spent the last three weeks or so traveling the nation in an attempt to win over voters. Due to growing doubts about his mental state and advanced age, Biden withdrew from the race, giving Harris less than 100 days to finish her campaign.

Kamala Harris has taken a handful of questions from the media 

Although Kamala Harris has fielded a few questions from the media during her campaign, she has avoided press conferences and in-person interviews. A positive cover story about Harris appeared in Time magazine earlier this month, but the vice president declined to be interviewed for the article.

Rather, the same advisers and allies praised Harris as a strong contender to challenge outgoing Donald Trump in that article.

CNN’s Jim Acosta grilled Kamala Harris' communications director this week

The push for a press conference has gathered steam with CNN's Jim Acosta interviewing Harris' director of communications, Michael Tyler, this week on television.

"I’m sure this is not going to be the first time you’ve heard this question, but the Trump campaign is also going after the vice president for not doing enough interviews, for not holding a press conference. Would it kill you guys to have a press conference? Why hasn't she had a press conference?" Acosta asked. 

The left-leaning Washington Post editorial board also challenged Harris over dodging the media on Sunday, saying of her opponent, "At least he has taken questions." 

Donald Trump has attacked Kamala Harris on the issue 

Donald Trump and his supporters have attacked Kamala Harris for not being available to the media.

​​"It's pretty sad when you think that somebody that does this for a living can't answer a question or is afraid to do an interview, and in her case, with a very friendly interview. She's got all friendly interviewers," Trump said of Harris on Monday evening, August 12, during his roughly two-hour interview with tech billionaire Elon Musk on X Space. 

Some have said that Harris is copying Biden's 2020 campaign plan, in which the senator employed a segregated approach during the pandemic and gained the monikers "Basement Joe" from Trump.

"Kamala Harris should absolutely hold a press conference. One would expect it when she names her vice-presidential pick. But we cannot expect her to break from Biden's serial avoidance of press conferences," NewsBusters executive editor Tim Graham previously told the outlet. 

"Since the 2020 campaign, we have witnessed the bizarre spectacle of Donald Trump granting wide access to networks that suggest he's a fascist and hammer him daily, while Biden and Harris won't grant interviews to media outlets that gurgle all over them and their ‘historic accomplishments,’" he continued. "Either they think the press can never be servile enough, or they are projecting a complete lack of confidence in their efforts to put complete sentences together," he added.

Internet slams Kamala Harris saying 'she was never supposed to make it this far'

Netizens lashed out at Vice President Kamala Harris for supposedly being adamant about not holding a press conference even after a month since announcing her candidacy. One X user tweeted, "She has nothing to say, she was never supposed to make it this far." 

Another wrote, "Harris is in hiding and scared to take questions Bet Walz’s stolen valor adds to the anxiety bigly." "She is too scared. Yet you will find people voting for her," remarked one. Someone else added, "Kamala Harris looks tensed and confused. She's slowly losing it."

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