Janice R. Andrews
The viral YouTube series Hot Ones turned down an opportunity to interview Kamala Harris during her presidential campaign, citing a preference to avoid political discussions. This revelation came during a Pod Save America post-mortem, where former campaign staff discussed the challenges Harris faced and what could be improved for future campaigns in 2028.
Harris’ team initially sought a Hot Ones appearance as a way to reach younger voters. The show, known for its celebrity guests eating spicy wings while answering in-depth questions, has earned praise for its thoughtful interviews. Harris’ team believed it could be a unique opportunity to connect with audiences beyond the usual political forums.
However, Stephanie Cutter, Harris’ communications chief, shared that producers declined the request, explaining they didn’t want to engage in political content. This decision underscores the difficulty Democratic campaigns have had in tapping into alternative media platforms, especially when compared to Donald Trump’s campaign, which successfully utilized social media influencers and podcasters like Joe Rogan to amplify his message to massive audiences.
David Plouffe, who managed Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and worked with Harris, voiced frustration over the uphill battle for Democrats in key battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. “It’s really hard for Democrats to win battleground states,” he said, pointing out that many independents in these areas lean conservative.
Plouffe also highlighted Harris’ initial low approval ratings, which were in the 30% range when she entered the race. While her favorability improved by 15 points, the campaign ran out of time to build enough momentum.
With just 107 days from Biden’s endorsement in July, Harris’ campaign had little room to overcome these obstacles. Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign manager, expressed frustration over the short timeframe but defended the strategy of positioning Harris as a candidate for the future, separate from Biden and Trump.
However, Cutter acknowledged that Harris struggled with a major favorability gap, partly due to negative media coverage and a lack of widespread recognition among voters.
Despite these setbacks, the campaign team reflected on their experience as a valuable learning process, stressing the need for future campaigns to engage with nontraditional media and influencers to connect with younger and independent voters more effectively.
Attempts to reach Hot Ones parent company Buzzfeed for comment went unanswered.
The decision to turn down a political interview on Hot Ones highlights the evolving challenges candidates face in navigating the modern media landscape, where traditional political platforms are often bypassed in favor of alternative outlets.
