With Republicans criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris first for not granting interviews, then for appearing with running mate Tim Walz at her first major interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, the bar for success wasn't especially high in her CNN interview. Analysts say Harris—who did most of the talking—delivered a capable but unexceptional performance in discussing issues including her changes in policy positions with Dana Bash. Some takeaways:
- "Comfortable and in command." "From a strictly performance standpoint, Harris was clear, calm and didn't get rattled when pushed about changes to her positions on certain issues," Domenico Montanaro writes at NPR. He says Harris has seemed "defensive" in previous interviews, "but that wasn't the case here. She seemed comfortable and in command, which is important for a presidential candidate who people are still getting to know."