CNN's Scott Jennings and other conservatives were met with backlash for suggesting that Kamala Harris was too "weak" to conduct a sit-down interview without her running mate Tim Walz.
Media figures and Republicans have been complaining since before the Democratic National Convention that the vice president had not taken part in an extensive interview after taking over the campaign from President Joe Biden, and Jennings attacked her for agreeing to a joint interview Thursday with CNN's Dana Bash.
"I think it's incredibly weak, weak sauce to show up with your running mate," Jennings told "Anderson Cooper 360.º" "The fact that they don't have enough confidence in her to let her sit herself the actual top of the ticket and do a single interview. In fact, I think the handwringing and the gyrations over this over the last month show a troubling lack of confidence in her political ability, which also makes you wonder as a voter, well, what kind of president would you be if this kind of a small-time decision – can we do an interview or not – what does that look like for your decision-making process? So yes, I think Republicans are going to think it's pretty weak to show up with a effectively someone to take up half the time."
"Weak sauce for Kamala Harris to demand an emotional support animal for her first interview," he added on X. "Shows an extreme lack of confidence for Thursday night event."
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However, as many social media users, that has been standard practice for presidential nominees to conduct side-by-side joint interviews with their running mates coming out of their party's convention.
" is a woman & that makes it different?"
"You bum," wrote cultural critic Parker Molloy, adding photos of Barack Obama and Joe Biden conducting a joint interview, along with Ryan and Romney, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, and Biden and Harris.
"CNN should be embarrassed to have @ScottJenningsKY as a paid political contributor," said former Republican Matt Walton. "He said it's 'weak sauce' for Harris to do a joint interview with Walz. He clearly forgot that Donald Trump did a joint interview with JD Vance. Scott, you're pathetic & a hypocrite!"
"Jesus, people, Kamala Harris is the damn vice president," added USA Today columnist Rex Huppke. "She has dealt with world leaders and engaged in widespread diplomacy. She was a prosecutor and an attorney general. Maybe lose the f*cking demeaning 'she can’t handle an interview' nonsense, ya jags."
