Access Denied, Frustration Amplified in Harris Campaign Coverage

The line between reporting and creating political narratives blurs.

On August 8th, Benjy Sarlin, Semafor's Washington bureau chief, fired a warning shot across the bow of the Kamala Harris campaign:

'Trump is holding a presser today, we interviewed him last week and Vance yesterday and Vance is taking open press questions. Time's just about up on Harris to avoid this becoming a thing.”

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This thinly veiled ultimatum laid bare a growing tension between the press corps and the newly minted Democratic presidential nominee. Just a day earlier, Sarlin had hinted at the brewing frustration:

“VP selection is the official start on the countdown before 'A spirited campaign, shrouded from public scrutiny' appears on A1 in the NYT.”

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

As the Harris campaign's evasive dance with the media entered its third week, journalists like Sarlin were growing restless. But is this truly a crisis of transparency, or a calculated strategy in modern political communication?

Upon seeing Sarlin’s tweets, I replied, “This will not just ‘become a thing’ out of the blue. Journalists like you will attempt to make it a thing, like you are doing right now. If you’re confident that it’s justified, own it. Drop the passive voice BS and acknowledge both your agency and your intent.”

I want to talk a little bit about that.