Donald Trump is “clearly hiding from tough questions and real journalists,” according to an ex-aide to former President Barack Obama, amid a media blitz by his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris.
In the latest episode of the Pod Save America podcast, host Jon Favreau, Obama’s director of speechwriting when he was in the White House, was joined by President Joe Biden‘s former press secretary Jen Psaki to discuss recent media appearances by both candidates.
Favreau said the former Republican president’s interviews had all been with “supporters and right-wing networks.” He listed, “Ben Shapiro, who’s hosted a fundraiser for Trump, Hugh Hewitt, who ended his interview by telling him to come back after he’s president again, Laura Ingraham, who shills for him every night.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, arrives for a rally at Dodge County Airport on October 06, 2024 in Juneau, Wisconsin. Ex-Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau criticized Trump, saying he was “scared,” and “hiding,” from journalists.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The remarks come as Harris is embarking on a media blitz, after facing heavy criticism for her lack of media appearances. Over the past week, she has appeared on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy, The View, The Howard Stern Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. On Monday, the vice president presented her case for the presidency in an interview on 60 Minutes, and on Thursday she will take part in a pre-taped Univision town hall.
Harris has also been criticized for avoiding tough interviews, though Alex Cooper and Howard Stern are not widely perceived to be allies of Harris in the same way that Shapiro and Hewitt are confirmed fans of Trump.
Favreau said that Trump was “too scared,” to do 60 Minutes, which he “backed out of last minute.”
The episode was supposed to feature both candidates, and began with an appearance from CBS correspondent Scott Pelley, who read texts and emails from the Trump campaign confirming his appearance, and then offering an explanation for the cancelation.
Pelley said, “Last week, Trump canceled.”
“The campaign offered shifting explanations, first it complained that we would fact check the interview. We fact check every story,” he added.
“Later, Trump said he needed an apology for his interview in 2020,” the reporter continued, referring to the former president’s conversation with Lesley Stahl.
“Trump claims correspondent Stahl said in that interview that Hunter Biden‘s controversial laptop came from Russia.” Pelley said. “She never said that. Both campaigns understood that this special would go ahead if either candidate backed out.”
Psaki described this as “awkward,” and “uncomfortable.”
Favreau and Psaki then discussed media criticism of Harris, in comparison to how they said Trump has been treated.
Favreau said that he didn’t know if it will matter to voters, though he hoped it would, but suggested that he hoped it would matter to the media after their criticism of Harris.
“Donald Trump just ducked 60 Minutes, backed out last minute, won’t do the next debate and has been like retreating to his safe space, of right-wing interviewers,” Favreau said.
Psaki then criticized Vance’s media strategy saying that he, “is not answering the question.”
“He’s using [the media] as a tool,” she added
Favreau then remarked that Vance “is the least popular candidate on either ticket. That’s what his press strategy has done.”
Psaki then said that she doesn’t know if “the number of media interviews any candidate is doing ever really matters to voters.”
Trump, for his part, has been highly critical of Harris’ interviews. Writing on Truth Social after her appearance on Stern’s show, Trump said: “BETA Male Howard Stern made a fool of himself on his low-rated show when he ‘interviewed Lyin’ Kamala Harris,” and said that Stern looked like a “real fool.”
He also called for an investigation into CBS News following allegations that Harris’ 60 Minutes interview was edited.
There have been broader attacks on the media from the Republican’s campaign recently.
Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita criticized Fox News in a post on X, formerly Twitter, where he accused the network of “running literally propaganda” when it covered a government briefing featuring President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, about Hurricane Milton.
The Trump campaign has also been critical about the Watergate journalist Bob Woodward, who’s upcoming book War details alleged interactions between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin after he left office. In response, the Trump campaign described the veteran Washington Post journalist as a “demented,” “deranged,” “angry little man,” and said he was a “sleazebag.” The campaign has denied the allegations in the book, saying they are “made-up stories.”
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