Kamala Harris’s fears of a progressive backlash killed a plan for her to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast, a campaign official has said, shedding light on a decision that infuriated some Democrats who are reeling after Donald Trump’s election victory.
The Harris campaign and Rogan, whose audience is bigger than that of many television networks, had discussed an interview for his podcast — a move some Democrats hoped would help Harris reach young men who were gravitating towards Trump.
The talks faltered because of concerns at how the interview would be perceived within the Democratic party, said Jennifer Palmieri, a senior adviser to Harris’s husband, Douglas Emhoff, during the campaign.
“There was a backlash with some of our progressive staff that didn’t want her to be on it, and how there would be a backlash,” Palmieri said on Wednesday.
Palmieri also said news leaking that Harris was in talks to do Rogan’s show created a “very weird dynamic” with the podcaster.
“Because all of a sudden he’s on his heels about how his audience is going to react to this, and the demands that they were going to put on him to be tough on her,” Palmieri said at a conference organised by The Clearing House, a payments group owned by large US banks.
Trump’s interview with Rogan has been viewed nearly 50mn times on YouTube, while the interview with vice-president-elect JD Vance racked up 16mn views.
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@6RCJCL2Republican1yr1Y
Lol this is not true. She didn’t appear because no amount of Zoloft or wine could make her tolerable for 3 hours
@PloverRubyGreen1yr1Y
On the one hand, podcast host who might ask a tricky question or two (but frankly is more likely to softball you for his own branding purposes) with direct access to the group you're trying to minimize losses with, young men.
On the other hand, comms department would have a sad
Democrats afraid of the cancel culture they created and continue to foster.
@7FCNDNKLibertarian1yr1Y
The good news is that cancel culture took a major blow last week. The wokeists did their level best to cancel both Joe Rogan and Donald Trump, and they are now stronger than ever.
Everyone should be allowed to say whatever they think (with the existing restrictions against incitement to violence excluded) without fear for their jobs or livelihoods, and the world will be a better place for it.
It is striking and very sad that mainstream media were largely on the side of censorship over the last few years, which is an indictment of those who work in those companies (including the FT) and chose journalism as their profession.
Censorship should be the polar opposite of what a journalist stands for, not a means to suppress ideas that he or she finds personally unpalatable.
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