Former Jill Biden Press Secretary Michael Larosa didn’t hold back during his Thursday appearance on Fox News, where he dissected the glaring errors Vice President Kamala Harris is making in her campaign. Appearing on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Larosa took a critical look at Harris’s communication strategy, pointing out that she’s adopting what Jesse Watters aptly called “the Biden playbook”—limiting interactions with the press. According to Larosa, this approach is a recipe for disaster, as it risks alienating both the media and the public.
Larosa made it clear that ignoring the press is a dangerous game. “It’s a process story, which is the worst thing you could do. One of the unfortunate things the Biden team did was ignore the press, and that came back to bite them,” Larosa remarked. “The problem is when you need the press, you’ve already lost their goodwill and trust. Biden found that out the hard way, and it could very well be what undoes Harris too.” Larosa emphasized that when a candidate keeps the press at arm’s length, every little mistake is amplified, putting them under even more intense scrutiny.
Continuing his critique, Larosa advised Harris against following Biden’s strained relationship with the media. He warned that by limiting her press engagements, Harris only increases the pressure on herself, making each interview disproportionately significant. “The pressure on her is immense… every little thing she says becomes a headline, and every slip-up is magnified,” he said. Larosa argued that Harris would be better served by engaging with the press regularly and spontaneously, allowing voters to see her as more authentic—even if that means making a few mistakes along the way. “She should be building a routine of off-the-cuff press interactions. People connect with candidates who are human, who make mistakes. Those mistakes are often forgiven, but only if the voters feel like they really know you,” he added.
This advice comes at a pivotal moment for Harris, who recently conducted her first interview since officially launching her campaign. On Thursday night, she appeared on CNN alongside her vice-presidential pick, Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The interview wasn’t exactly a walk in the park; both Harris and Walz faced tough questions about Walz’s embellished military service and Harris’s many policy flip-flops since her last presidential bid.
Despite her efforts to pivot and clarify, Harris struggled to explain the noticeable shift in her campaign’s stance on several key issues. Dana Bash, who conducted the interview, pressed Harris on the ambiguity of her policy platform, even pointing out that there’s little clarity on her campaign website. Harris’s response was a mix of vague affirmations and deflections. “I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is that my values have not changed,” Harris claimed. She went on to mention the Green New Deal, reiterating her long-standing belief in the urgency of addressing the climate crisis, but without offering any real substance on how her policy proposals would reflect that belief.
In the end, Harris’s attempt to reassure voters that she hasn’t wavered on her values fell flat. The real question remains: can she navigate the rough waters of this campaign without the press turning on her completely? If Larosa’s assessment is anything to go by, Harris needs to rethink her strategy before it’s too late.
