Pollster Frank Luntz ‘Not Impressed’ With VP Harris
Renowned pollster Frank Luntz believes that Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris made significant errors during her much-anticipated CNN interview.
The interview, her first as the official Democratic candidate for president, was promoted as a pivotal moment. However, according to Luntz, she fell short of expectations.
"I was not impressed as an observer and as someone who expected more from her, given the amount of time she had to prepare," Luntz remarked before detailing the mistakes he felt Harris made.
"First, I call it DOD—Day One Detail. She mentioned child tax credits and a housing credit, but she should’ve laid out a plan for day one, the first hour, the first day, the first week, month, and year,” Luntz explained. “Voters want to know if you're serious, and she didn’t go beyond her talking points.”
When CNN anchor Dana Bash asked Harris what she would do on her first day as president, her response was to "strengthen the middle class," but she didn’t provide specific details on how she planned to achieve that.
"Second, it's not about inflation. It's about affordability," Luntz emphasized. “Food, fuel, housing, and healthcare have become so expensive. She said she understood the issue but didn’t offer concrete solutions.”
Luntz continued with his critique: “Third, she kept saying, 'My values haven’t changed,’ likely in response to accusations of flip-flopping. But it’s not about values, it’s about priorities that affect all of us."
"Fourth, she used the phrase 'You deserve' as if she were still delivering a convention speech. She didn’t clearly outline what Americans deserve from her policies."
"Fifth, she talked about consensus and common ground, but voters want common sense. They’re looking for someone who gets results, not just ideology," Luntz added.
Luntz also highlighted missed opportunities in Harris's critique of Donald Trump. “She should’ve said, ‘He promised, he failed. It's time to give someone else a chance.’ Comparing Trump’s record instead of just criticizing him would’ve been more effective."
Lastly, Luntz suggested that Harris could have asked a rhetorical question: “How would you feel if your kids spoke to you the way Trump speaks to America?” He felt this was her strongest criticism of Trump, yet it was absent from the interview.
Luntz wasn't the only one critical of Harris’s performance. Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich voiced even harsher opinions, suggesting the interview might have sealed her fate.
Speaking on Fox Business Network’s Mornings with Maria, Gingrich predicted, “This will cost Kamala Harris the election.”
He sarcastically suggested Trump should invite Governor Tim Walz to stand next to Harris during debates for moral support. "She’d feel so much more comfortable with him there," Gingrich quipped, before saying, "Harris showed just how truly liberal she is."
Gingrich also targeted Walz, calling him a "liar" for dodging questions about false claims he made regarding his combat service. He argued that Walz’s inability to admit his mistake typified his character.
Regarding Harris, Gingrich was scathing: "She claimed she was aggressive as California's attorney general, fighting international gangs, but now we have Venezuelan gangs terrorizing Aurora, Colorado. How does that add up?"
He went on: "As the border czar, she’s presided over millions of illegal immigrants, and gangs from El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela have flourished. It just doesn’t ring true."
In Gingrich’s view, the interview showcased why Kamala Harris would lose the election.