Harris, Walz Will Go On CNN for First Campaign Interview

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview on Thursday as Democrats work to broaden their base’s excitement from last week’s Democratic National Convention. 

The interview, conducted by CNN’s chief political correspondent and anchor Dana Bash, will air at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday. It occurs as the candidates embark on a bus tour through the battleground state of Georgia and marks the first time Harris has sat with a journalist for an in-depth, on-the-record conversation since President Joe Biden dropped his bid for a second term and endorsed her on July 21.

The 37 days since her candidacy began have generated a swell of enthusiasm and momentum for Harris, including at last week’s convention in Chicago. But her lack of a formal news conference or interview has generated criticism from her Republican rivals. Thursday’s interview fulfils a vow she made earlier in August to schedule a sit-down before the end of the month.

With the interview, Harris’ extraordinarily truncated campaign is entering a new, post-convention phase. Her team is anticipating more scrutiny as she and Walz enter the final weeks before early voting begins. Harris has also been preparing for a September 10 debate with her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump.

Over the past several weeks, Harris has responded to some shouted questions from reporters as she campaigns in battleground states. She also sat for three interviews with content creators and influencers during the DNC last week – an example of her campaign’s belief that voters, especially young voters, are getting their news from less traditional sources.