Dana Bash's Tough Act On Kamala Harris Has Everyone Saying The Same Thing About Trump

After weeks of criticism over her not speaking to the press, Vice President Kamala Harris finally sat down with CNN's Dana Bash for her first media interview as the newly-appointed Democratic presidential nominee. Airing on August 29, 2024, the segment covered Harris's policy positions, along with offering insights into President Joe Biden's decision to leave the race. At Harris's side was her running mate, Tim Walz, who discussed his family and addressed the backlash he's received over previous public statements. Viewers and commentators generally agreed that Harris turned in a strong, thoughtful performance in the face of some tough questions from Bash. 

That very toughness, however, struck many as problematic and arguably even biased. Bash was notably one of the moderators at the June presidential debate, where she allowed Donald Trump to make several eyebrow-raising claims without asking any follow-up questions or correcting his inaccuracies. As "The New Abnormal" podcast's Danielle Moodie memorably put it, Bash and co-host Jake Tapper were "f***ing mic stands [...] Like, doing nothing [...] offering nothing," (via the Daily Beast). 

In comparison, Bash fact-checked Harris about reversing her previous stances on issues such as the border crisis and fracking, and called the candidate out for not previously implementing the strategies she was proposing to ease inflation. Harris was prepared, though, and never seemed flustered as she delivered her responses. "Kamala is killin it not a word out of place and defends herself and her policies with conviction," raved one viewer on X, formerly known as Twitter. "She is a force to be reckoned with." Brett Meiselas of Meidas Touch also pointed out, "If a reporter asked Trump any of these questions, he would have already called them 'nasty' and stormed out."

Other commenters on X slammed CNN host Dana Bash for what they saw as her unbalanced interviewing styles for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. "It is hilarious to hear Dana Bash asking detailed policy questions and follow-ups to Harris when this is virtually never done with Republicans and absolutely would not happen with Trump," one wrote. But the vice president seemed to anticipate being asked about her apparent reversal on certain issues. "My values have not changed," she told Bash firmly (via CNN), elaborating, "I believe it is important to build consensus, and it is important to find a common place of understanding of where we can actually solve problems." 

Only once did Harris cut Bash short. When asked to address her opponent's accusation that she hadn't identified as a Black woman before now, the former prosecutor replied with a smile, "Same old tired playbook. Next question, please." Their chat also stood in stark contrast to Trump's self-centered interview with Dr. Phil McGraw the previous day. While discussing the recent attempt on his life, the former president refused to say he had become more appreciative of his family. 

Instead, Trump suggested God had spared him specifically so he could re-enter the White House and save America. It's worth noting that, when Bash asked Harris about her reaction to President Biden's withdrawal from the race, she disclosed, "My first thought was not about me, to be honest with you. My first thought was about him."