David Brooks: Harris campaign putting 'excessive faith in social media' by refusing press interviews
"It's a new politics. They don't have to talk about policies anymore. They don't have to give interviews. It's a different kind of campaign than it used to be," Brooks says
New York Times columnist David Brooks told Just the News that Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign is putting "excessive faith in social media" by refusing to grant interviews.
"I think the problem with not doing the media, it's like when Biden didn't do the media, he wasn't ready when he had to do it. So they should be letting her do it just so she gets the practice in. So I just think it's a short term thinking," he said at the Democratic convention.
"It's routine, like a normal candidate. It's routine. You talk to the reporters wherever you go, and you can start out with local AP reporters, local TV, but she's got to do a big sit down interview," he added.
Brooks was asked what he thinks is the driving force behind the Harris' campaigns refusal to do formal interviews or hold news conferences.
"The excessive faith in social media that a lot of campaigns have. They're heavily online. They think everybody's online, but it's just not true. I mean, big TV, big network TV, those numbers are still huge," he said.
"It's a new politics. They don't have to talk about policies anymore. They don't have to give interviews. It's a different kind of campaign than it used to be," he added.
He predicted that race between Harris and former President Trump will tighten after the Democratic convention concludes.
"It'll tighten up," he said. "I can't imagine she's going to have a few more great weeks like she's had."
Brooks criticized Harris' price gouging ban proposal.
"It polls well but it doesn't reflect well on her, just because price controls have just never worked. And Biden, there's a reason he rejected this policy," he said. "It just makes you look too political and crass."
When asked if he thinks she will abandon the proposal, Brook said, "No, she'll stay with it. It is popular. I mean, let's go after greedy corporations. That's not why we have inflation, though."
Brooks said he agrees with economists who attribute inflation to a lot of government spending, the American Rescue plan stimulus bill and pandemic spending.
"I totally agree with that, and the Fed raising interest rates that causes everybody's debts cost to go up so," he said.