Pollster Frank Luntz ‘Not Impressed’ With VP Harris
Renowned pollster Frank Luntz believes Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris made some major missteps in her recent CNN interview.
The interview, billed as a pivotal moment, marked her first as the official presidential nominee for the Democratic Party, but Luntz found it underwhelming.
“I was not impressed as an observer and someone who’s expecting more from her with this much time to get prepared,” Luntz commented, before detailing a rapid-fire list of what he viewed as her key errors.
“First, I call it DOD—Day One Detail. She mentioned child tax credits and a housing credit. What she needed was a specific plan for day one, for the first hour, the first day, the first week, the first month, and the first year,” Luntz explained. “That’s crucial because voters are looking for clear signs that you’re serious. She really didn’t go beyond basic talking points.”
When asked by CNN’s Dana Bash what her first action as president would be, Harris said she would "strengthen the middle class" but failed to provide details on how she would achieve that.
“Second, it’s not just inflation. It’s affordability. Food, fuel, housing, and health care have all become much more expensive. She acknowledged this but didn’t offer specific solutions,” Luntz added. “Third, she kept saying, ‘My values haven’t changed,’ likely to address accusations of flip-flopping. But it’s not about values—that’s about her. It’s about priorities, which concerns all of us.”
Luntz continued, “Number four, ‘You deserve.’ She still sounded like she was giving a convention speech. She didn’t lay out exactly what the American people deserve from their president or her policies. Number five, the C word. She spoke about consensus and a little about common ground. But what voters really want is common sense—a leader who can deliver results, not just ideology.”
“Sixth, when criticizing Trump, she could have said, ‘He promised, he failed, now it’s time to give someone else a chance to do better.’ Instead of just attacking him, she could have compared their records,” he said. “And seventh, a simple rhetorical question would have been powerful: ‘How would you feel if your kids spoke to you the way Donald Trump speaks to America?’ That’s her strongest critique of Trump, but I didn’t hear it last night.”
Luntz wasn’t the only one critical of the interview.
Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich even suggested it could spell the end of Harris’ campaign.
Speaking with Cheryl Casone on Fox Business Network’s "Mornings With Maria," Gingrich predicted that Harris could “lose the election” as a result of the interview.
“I thought President Trump’s comment was unfair. In fact, he should invite Kamala Harris to bring Governor Walz to the debate, just as a comfort. Walz could stand beside her—he wouldn’t say anything, but she’d feel more comfortable,” Gingrich joked. “But on a serious note, she really revealed how deeply liberal she is.”
Gingrich also criticized Walz, claiming that he avoided admitting to Dana Bash that he had lied about his combat experience. “If you watched that segment, he dodged the question entirely. That’s just how he is as a person,” Gingrich said.
“As for Harris, she claimed to have been aggressive as California’s attorney general, fighting international gangs. But why, under her tenure as the border czar, do we now see Venezuelan gangs terrorizing places like Aurora, Colorado?” he questioned.
“How, under her leadership, do we now have eight or nine million illegal immigrants, alongside gangs from El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela? Her story just doesn’t add up. And I believe last night made it clear that Kamala Harris is heading for a loss,” Gingrich concluded.