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Twenty-Four Thoughts On What Kamala Harris Owes The Press...
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Twenty-Four Thoughts On What Kamala Harris Owes The Press...

... and what the press owes Kamala Harris.

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Brian Beutler
Aug 14, 2024
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(Photo by SAUL LOEB/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
  • The answer to the question “What does Kamala Harris owe the news media?” is, technically, nothing.

  • Harris owes the country fidelity to the Constitution and its guarantee of press freedom. You can interpret that to mean she “owes” it to journalists, critics, and news outlets not to abuse power in any way that might warp or silence the speech they want to engage in. But that’s a weird way to think about rights. They’re ours already. By the same token, not punching someone in the face isn’t the same thing as doing them a favor.

  • As a practical matter, though, Harris should probably see it as in her interest to begin engaging with mainstream news outlets in a fairly normal way as soon as is feasible—much as she has an interest in running good ads, and you have an interest in not poking bears. The reach of mainstream media, though diminished, is not trivial; its wrath can be severe. Particularly to Democrats. Why’s that?

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