Just a Few Quick Thoughts – a Dozen Minus One – following the Dana Bash-Kamala Harris-Tim Walz Interview

I just finished watching the Dana Bash interview on CNN, and here are my takeaways.

It could have been worse; I anticipated that it would be an undiluted love fest, with no uncomfortable moments for the Democratic team whatsoever.

I thought that Bash would avoid all problematic areas, and she didn’t, but she never showed any skepticism, incredulity, or hint that answers were incomplete.

Specifically:

1. Bash asked about fracking, and Vice President Harris said she had not been against fracking since 2020.  Really?  Is there any evidence of this? Harris said she learned they could deal with global warming without cutting fracking. When did she ever say that? Bash forgot to ask how have their efforts to limit global warming worked in the last 3 and ½ years.

2. Bash asked nothing about Harris’ taped antipathy toward ICE

3. Bash asked what Harris would say to voters who are concerned about their housing and grocery costs. Harris segued to how the administration is bringing down prices for drugs and blamed the mismanaged economy of former President Trump and Covid. She again segued to the child tax credit and $25,000 for first-time homebuyers. There was no follow-up on the feasibility of that idea and what effect it would have on housing prices and inflation.

4. Bash asked if Bidenomics were a success. Harris parried that by saying she and Biden cut child poverty. No proof was offered or requested.

5. Harris volunteered that the Inflation Reduction Act had worked well, but no questions about its being inflationary or problematic in any way…

6. Harris vowed to push the bipartisan border bill, but Bash didn’t ask why she wouldn’t simply use executive action as President Donald Trump did…

7. Harris said she would have a Republican in her administration. What kind of Republican? Adam Kinzinger?  It matters, push her, Ms. Bash.

8. Harris was asked about Trump’s inappropriate racial remarks. Harris wisely let it drop. When Bash interviews Trump, this would be a good question to ask…

9. Bash asked about the Israel-Hamas War. Harris insisted that a 2-State solution is critical – no follow-up?  Israel thinks such a solution would be suicide. Harris didn’t mention it at the convention.

10. Bash asked some interesting questions of Walz but nothing about his sleeping through the violence in Minnesota until it was too late.

11. Bash asked Walz about his misrepresenting his service “in war” and nothing about his leaving his military service to avoid going to Iraq.  He said it was a grammatical mistake. C’mon, Tim, and c’mon, Dana.

Finally, Bash in her friendly interview asked about the winsome reactions of Walz’s son Gus at the Democratic National Convention – “That’s My Dad” — perfectly appropriate if the rest of the interview were not such an agape, as William Safire would have called it.

Bashian grade: Gentleman’s “C.”

Not good; not awful. She had the opportunity to bring real honor to CNN.  She did not do that.