After the success of the Democratic Convention, Kamala Harris will face her first major test on Thursday evening with an interview on CNN, where the issue will not only be the differences between her and Donald Trump, but also between her and her vision presented in 2020.
Designated as the Democratic Party candidate after Joe Biden withdrew from the race, Kamala Harris has not yet had the opportunity to face questions from journalists.
“This is unprecedented and perhaps we are reaching the end of what is frankly the festival of free games for Mme Harris. She will have to confront questions that are not the ones she would like to,” explained Guillaume Lavoie, associate member of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair.
However, she will not brave the storm alone, as she will be accompanied by her running mate Tim Walz.
“What is missing from the portrait is an interview with Mr.me “Harris is getting grilled,” the political specialist said in an interview with LCN on Thursday.
Aside from her differences with Republican Donald Trump, the current vice president is most likely to be scrutinized for her vision today compared to the one she had in 2020, when she ran in the Democratic primary.
At that time, she had “said a lot of things to try to exist in a party which was moving solidly to the left at the time.”
For example, Mme Harris had spoken out in favor of a mandatory gun buyback and said she was open to defunding the police, neither of which would be the case now.
“There are two Kamala Harrises and the reason she is doing well is because no one has had the opportunity (yet) to question her, face to face with herself,” Mr. Lavoie analyzed.
Betting everything on an interview can also be risky, since every wrong answer can resonate louder, whether on questions of immigration, the economy or his position on the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
“She will have to outperform,” said the expert, who recalled that the election is currently “extremely close.”
