Senior advisers from Kamala Harris’s campaign have addressed the controversy surrounding her absence from “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the world’s most popular podcast. They offered conflicting explanations, including logistical challenges and concerns about host Joe Rogan leveraging the opportunity to secure an in-studio appearance with then-President Donald Trump.
David Plouffe, a top campaign strategist, suggested that Rogan may have used Harris’s interest in the podcast as leverage to invite Trump instead. “We offered to do it in Austin; it didn’t work out. Maybe they leveraged that to get Trump in studio, I don’t know,” Plouffe remarked.
Stephanie Cutter, another senior adviser, claimed the decision came down to scheduling conflicts. “We had discussions with Joe Rogan’s team; they were great, but ultimately, we just weren’t able to find a date that worked,” Cutter said.
Adding another layer of complexity, Jennifer Palmieri, senior adviser to second gentleman Doug Emhoff, revealed internal resistance. “There was a backlash with some of our progressive staff who didn’t want her to be on it,” Palmieri admitted, highlighting concerns about potential criticism from the campaign’s left-wing base.
Critics have pointed out that Harris prioritized appearances on smaller platforms, including “Saturday Night Live,” while bypassing Rogan’s massive audience. The decision to skip Rogan’s podcast, coupled with the blame on Trump, has reignited questions about the campaign’s media strategy and its ability to effectively connect with a diverse voter base.
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Stephanie Cutter ADMITS Kamala’s campaign prioritized a rally with Beyonce in Houston but not a visit to Austin to appear with Joe Rogan pic.twitter.com/IO7cgrkOgj
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 26, 2024