Top Trend — Kamala Harris’s interview with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel this Wednesday signals a shift for Democrats, who are now more open to engaging with a network known for its pro-Trump audience.
Since the party’s convention in August, the number of Democrats appearing on Fox has doubled compared to the same time during President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. This is a notable increase from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign as well, when her appearances were much less frequent.
Democrats have long debated whether to ignore Fox or use it as a platform to reach viewers who might be swayed. Biden didn’t appear on the network during his campaign, and Clinton had just one appearance during the primaries and another in the summer of 2016.
The vice president, Governor Walz, and our campaign believe it’s essential to talk to all Americans, no matter where they get their news or entertainment. We want them to hear directly from us—without any filters—about who Vice President Harris is, what she stands for, and what she aims to achieve,” said Ian Sams, Harris’s campaign spokesperson.
Not just Democrats are seeing the new faces on Fox News
This week, Trump took to his social media to express frustration over Ian Sams, who was interviewed on Fox by Dana Perino on Wednesday, Martha MacCallum on Tuesday, and Neil Cavuto on Monday. Trump claimed that Sams “virtually owns the network.”
He added on Truth Social, “It’s not worthwhile doing interviews on Fox because it all just averages out into NOTHING. Fox News has totally lost its way.”
Interestingly, Trump appeared on Fox himself just hours before Harris’s interview, participating in a pre-taped town hall meeting focused on women voters and hosted by Harris Faulkner.
Meanwhile, Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, has made appearances on “Fox News Sunday” for two consecutive weeks. Host Shannon Bream mentioned that she was “a little bit surprised” when the Democratic campaign reached out before his recent appearance.
“I think people are still undecided out there,” Walz responded. “I appreciate your tough questions—your viewers get a chance to really hear what’s going on.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was known as something of a “Fox whisperer” earlier in the campaign, often engaging with network anchors. He even kicked off his Democratic convention speech with, “I’m Pete Buttigieg, and you might recognize me from Fox News.”
Other Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Representatives Jared Moskowitz from Florida and Ro Khanna from California, have also made multiple appearances.
Most of these Fox appearances happen during daytime and weekend slots, while prime-time shows hosted by Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld rarely feature Democrats.
While it typically doesn’t make sense for a Democrat to appear on a network that opposes them, this approach is an exception, according to Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of “Pod Save America” and former aide to President Barack Obama. “A Democrat entering enemy territory is a great way to gain attention and connect with soft Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, which is a key target for her campaign,” he noted.
“I think people are still undecided out there,” Walz responded. “I appreciate your tough questions—your viewers get a chance to really hear what’s going on.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was known as something of a “Fox whisperer” earlier in the campaign, often engaging with network anchors. He even kicked off his Democratic convention speech with, “I’m Pete Buttigieg, and you might recognize me from Fox News.”
Other Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Representatives Jared Moskowitz from Florida and Ro Khanna from California, have also made multiple appearances.
Most of these Fox appearances happen during daytime and weekend slots, while prime-time shows hosted by Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld rarely feature Democrats.
While it typically doesn’t make sense for a Democrat to appear on a network that opposes them, this approach is an exception, according to Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of “Pod Save America” and former aide to President Barack Obama. “A Democrat entering enemy territory is a great way to gain attention and connect with soft Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, which is a key target for her campaign,” he noted.
