Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris, like her boss Joe Biden, isn’t a fan of having to explain herself or her policies and instead prefers to hide from the media and unscripted events. She has not done a single press conference since she entered the race and has only done one sit-down network interview, but it was pre-taped and she had to bring along her emotional support governor, Tim Walz.
True, she did actually show up for the debate Tuesday and did a passable job. If you’re a fan of fluffy poetic statements that don’t actually say anything, that is.
Now even some in the lapdog media are complaining about being shut out. According to Axios, the president of the White House News Photographers Association, Jessica Koscielniak, wrote a letter to the Harris team in late August alleging they’ve overseen an “unprecedented reduction in access” to the news media.
New: In an Aug. 28 letter obtained by Axios, the WH News Photographers Association said Harris’ team was engaging in an “unprecedented reduction in access.”
The VP’s team didn’t respond until last night after we asked about the letter
W/ @sarafischer https://t.co/OOch8LDqWX pic.twitter.com/qkl5MaStBr
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 12, 2024
Why it matters: It adds to a growing frustration among the press corps about limiting access to leaders at the top of the Democratic Party.
- That includes Harris, who has yet to do a solo TV interview and has avoided unscripted moments since she entered the race on July 21.
Koscielniak wrote that “the four independent news photographer seats have been downgraded to one,” adding, “The WHNPA strongly calls on the Harris campaign to reconsider the number of media seats allowed on Air Force 2.” Their access is so limited that they’ve even suggested the Harris team add a “chaser plane” for journalists to tail Air Force 2 to campaign events.
A photographer told the outlet that Kamala’s hostility to the press makes his job much more difficult:
Doug Mills, a veteran White House news photographer speaking in his personal capacity, told Axios that “the current situation puts the still photographers at a distinct disadvantage on every trip.”
- He added: “It’s essential to us for people to understand the importance of having a full photographer pool. Every photographer sees each event differently. “
Kamala’s campaign finally responded to the letter Wednesday, but only after inquiries from reporters. They basically told the WHNPA: too bad for you.
Harris’ office wrote to the association that they explored adding more seats on Air Force Two and a chase plane and “learned both suggestions are not viable given available resources, including personnel and aircraft.”
Jessica Koscielniak, the president of the WHNPA, wrote to Harris’ top aides last month protesting that “the four independent news photographer seats have been downgraded to one.”
She proposed either adding a “chaser plane” for additional media or the WHCA reorganizing who gets a… pic.twitter.com/OZL99bKHwy
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 12, 2024
The WHNPA president was not pleased with the response:
“It’s very disappointing,” Koscielniak told Axios in responding to the letter. “This is the smallest number of media to travel for a presidential race in my memory. When Vice President Harris became the presidential nominee, it should have been negotiated by the WHCA that the full 13 member travel pool be on her plane.”
Expect Kamala to continue avoiding the media or any real scrutiny; after all, her boss won a presidential campaign running from his basement. Since taking office, he’s granted fewer interviews and press conferences than any of the past seven presidents.
It’s good to see the WHNPA push back, but until more members of the lazy disinterested corporate media call out the Harris campaign, she’ll just keep doing what she does. As Sean Hannity likes to point out, journalism in this country is dead.
Except for outfits like RedState, of course.
