Kamala Harris' 2024 Campaign Ramps Up Media Push, Focusing on Local Outlets

Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 campaign is amping up its media presence, with a focus on local news outlets in battleground states. The move comes amid criticism that Harris hasn't done enough interviews to clear up questions about her policy positions.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to increase her media appearances in the coming weeks, a new report says, as her campaign responds to criticism that she has not done enough interviews to clear up questions about her policy positions.

Since emerging as the Democratic ticket for president last month, Harris and running mate Tim Walz have granted at least 13 formal interviews, while former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, have granted at least 54 over the same time period.

Kamala Harris' 2024 Campaign Ramps Up Media Push, Focusing on Local Outlets

The Harris campaign says it plans to focus on local news outlets in battleground states like Pennsylvania, where she gave an interview to a Philadelphia news station last week.

"If you want to know the kind of things we plan to do, look at the things she was doing all year before the ticket switch," Harris campaign advisor Brian Fallon said in an interview with the Times.

Kamala Harris' 2024 Campaign Ramps Up Media Push, Focusing on Local Outlets

However, some Democratic allies have urged Harris to do more local interviews, saying that voters still don't know enough about her.

"I don’t think you can hide for 56 more days from media interviews," a Democratic strategist speaking on condition of anonymity told NBC News.

Kamala Harris' 2024 Campaign Ramps Up Media Push, Focusing on Local Outlets

"The biggest issues with her are because people still don’t know enough about her. It’s going to take a lot more than one debate and one CNN interview to scratch the itch," the strategist said.

Harris has not yet held a formal press conference since replacing President Biden as the Democratic nominee.

The Harris campaign has also been criticized for Harris's sometimes convoluted responses to questions about the economy and other issues.

In the interview with the Philadelphia news station, Harris was asked about rising gas prices. She responded by saying that "we need to have a real conversation about energy independence," and that "we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to bring down costs for the American people."

However, she did not offer any specific proposals for how to do that.

The Times report comes on the heels of an NBC report out last week in which Democratic allies urged Harris to do more local interviews.

"It’s a dangerous strategy of trying to do four-corners defense when there’s still a lot of clock left in the game," the strategist said.

The Harris campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment on the Times report.