Listen To Story Above
Katie Couric recently criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’s communication style, particularly focusing on her responses during public appearances and interviews.
During her podcast “Next Question with Katie Couric,” the former NBC “TODAY” co-host expressed frustration alongside her guest, MSNBC host and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki, discussing Harris’s performance following her recent electoral defeat to Donald Trump.
WATCH: Katie Couric admits Kamala was an awful candidate
“Answer the G**damn question, please.”pic.twitter.com/MtvCNzrKcS
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 18, 2024
“I always find that people do better when they’re asked really challenging, pointed questions. I always felt that way about Hillary Clinton,” Couric said. “If you are giving them these almost weird, like, amorphous softballs, it’s really hard to kind of hone your message and be succinct and say what you really need to say.”
Couric highlighted specific instances where Harris’s responses fell short, including a CNN town hall discussion about Supreme Court reform and her appearance on “The View” where she struggled to articulate potential policy differences with President Biden.
“I also felt that, and again, I think [Harris] really did well in so many areas, but I was frustrated by her inability to really succinctly answer questions at times, Jen,” Couric said. She particularly criticized Harris’s extended absence from media appearances after becoming the nominee.
Discussing Harris’s reluctance to differentiate herself from Biden’s policies, Couric suggested it appeared “as if they were more afraid of hurting Joe Biden’s feelings than winning the election.”
Psaki attributed some of these challenges to the “unique and painful summer” following Biden’s withdrawal from the race, noting the “fragility” surrounding his departure and the complex political dynamics Harris had to navigate.
Katie Couric wildly frustrated with Kamala Harris word salad answers: 'Answer the god**mn question please!' pic.twitter.com/tWxclDez4z
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 18, 2024
Couric concluded by expressing surprise at what she perceived as a lack of preparation, suggesting that a more structured approach to messaging could have helped Harris handle difficult questions more effectively.
“It seems to me, if I were running for president, Jen, I would sit down with my brain trust, and I’d be like, ‘Okay, let’s play out these questions. What am I gonna say?'” Couric remarked, questioning why such preparation appeared to be missing from Harris’s campaign strategy.
