Sanders Blasts Harris for Enlisting Walz for CNN Interview, Citing Administration Failures

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for choosing to appear alongside her running mate in her first formal interview as the Democratic presidential nominee. Sanders argues that Harris's reliance on Walz exposes a lack of confidence in her ability to handle interviews on her own, especially after her rocky experience as Vice President.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has launched a scathing attack on Vice President Kamala Harris for opting to conduct her first formal interview as the Democratic presidential nominee together with her running mate. Sanders argues that this move betrays a deep-seated lack of confidence in Harris's capabilities, particularly in light of her administration's dismal track record.

"They know Kamala Harris can't get through an interview all by herself," Sanders asserted during an appearance on "Fox & Friends." "There is not a lot of confidence in somebody to become the leader of the free world and ask people to make her president of the United States when she can't even sit down [for] an interview."

Sanders Blasts Harris for Enlisting Walz for CNN Interview, Citing Administration Failures

CNN announced on Tuesday that anchor Dana Bash would conduct a joint interview with Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, scheduled to air on Thursday evening. This will be Harris's first formal interview with the press since President Biden's withdrawal from the race on July 21, effectively designating her as his successor.

Sanders, who served as President Trump's second press secretary and frequently engaged in verbal sparring with reporters, posited that Harris's decision to bring Walz along suggests her team recognizes her inadequacies in handling an interview solo.

Sanders Blasts Harris for Enlisting Walz for CNN Interview, Citing Administration Failures

"This isn't even a tough interview. This is on CNN. This is one of their media allies," Huckabee Sanders continued. "She should take this opportunity to show the American people that she can handle hard questions. It's clear that her own team, in her own party, think she needs a babysitter, and that's why they're putting her vice presidential nominee on the stage with her so that he can step in and answer questions if things go like the clips we just saw, like she has done in previous interviews."

As Vice President, Harris dodged media interviews for almost a year following a "disastrous" encounter with NBC's Lester Holt in 2021, during which she stumbled in explaining the Biden-Harris administration's border security strategy, according to a New York Times report.

Sanders Blasts Harris for Enlisting Walz for CNN Interview, Citing Administration Failures

"[W]hite House officials - including some in her own office - noted that she all but went into a bunker for about a year, avoiding many interviews out of what aides said was a fear of making mistakes and disappointing Mr. Biden," the Times previously reported.

Sanders emphasized the "stark" contrast between Harris and her former boss, Donald Trump, highlighting Trump's record of accomplishments, such as bolstering the American economy, securing the border, and strengthening the nation's global standing.

On the other hand, Sanders declared, Harris has been part of an administration characterized by "total failure." "Look at everything that has happened in the last four years. She has to own that. She cannot run away from it. And even prominent Democrats don't have confidence in her ability to lead this country," she stated.

In a further dent to Harris's credibility, former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard recently endorsed Trump for president and have joined his transition team. Sanders interpreted this as a sign that even former Democrats believe Harris is incapable of leading the country.

"She was the laughingstock of the Biden administration just a few months ago, and now the hypocrisy is so unbelievable. They want us to believe that they truly think that she can take this job on," she continued.

"I think that the fact that they're not letting her do an interview by herself tells us everything that we need to know. She is not prepared to lead the country. Donald Trump is, because he's shown he can do it. Even prominent voices in the Democrat Party see that. And they're joining the ticket and starting to campaign for him around the country. And I think it's a great thing that he's building this huge coalition that will help push him over the top in November."