CNN lands first Harris-Walz sit-down interview

Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen CNN for her first sit-down interview since becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will face questions from CNN anchor Dana Bash in an interview expected to air 9 p.m. Thursday, the network announced Tuesday. The interview will take place in Georgia as the vice president is on a bus tour through the battleground state.

Harris has drawn criticism from her Republican opponents for not sitting down for a formal interview since President Joe Biden stepped aside and endorsed her, though she has repeatedly taken questions from reporters in brief exchanges.

Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance , have increased their media appearances and news conferences in part to highlight the contrast between the two campaigns.

The CNN announcement comes after Harris, earlier this month, promised to schedule an interview by the end of August. Since making that statement, her campaign staff members have fielded invitations from media organizations and quizzed reporters about who they think should get the sit-down.

The interview will provide the first opportunity for the candidates to field detailed policy questions.

Harris’s history with media interviews has been mixed, dating back to a 2021 NBC News interview with Lester Holt when he asked why she had not visited the border since taking office as vice president. Harris, who had been tasked by Biden to address the root causes of migration, quipped back that she had also not been to Europe. The Trump campaign used the interview clip in an attack ad when Harris first announced she was taking over the ticket after President Joe Biden stepped down.

Recent interviews Harris has participated in have received a better reception from Democrats, particularly in her CNN interview immediately following the June debate between Biden and Trump, where Harris addressed Biden’s disastrous debate performance.