Harris surrogate disagrees after CNBC host calls out VP for avoiding the press: 'Impossible to pin down'

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Harris surrogate dismisses CNBC host after he claims VP has been 'impossible to pin down'

Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo dismissed the notion that VP Harris has avoided the press during an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday.

Harris surrogate and President Biden's Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo disagreed with CNBC host Joe Kernen during an interview on Monday after the host accused Vice President Kamala Harris of avoiding the press. 

"The American people are frustrated, the media is frustrated that the amount of access anyone has got to her for the past 41 days, I know you've seen that, we're finally going to have a debate tomorrow night, but she sat down for one interview that was taped, and then cut down and certain little things came out from it, but it has been a masterclass in avoiding any questions and nothing has been made clear by her," Kernen said as Raimondo claimed Harris has been "crystal clear" on her values. 

After waiting over a month to sit for a formal interview, Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, joined CNN's Dana Bash for an interview. Harris has gone 50 days without holding a formal press conference.

"Maybe it's been made clear in drubs and drabs from her policymakers when it comes out in print or off a teleprompter at one of her scripted speeches. She’s been impossible to pin down on anything because she hasn’t given any access. The American people deserve it. Wouldn’t you agree?"

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo disagrees with Joe Kernen on Harris' lack of press access. (Screenshot/CNBC)

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Raimondo said she disagreed.

"This is a presidential election like no other. She only has a few weeks to do everything. And she’s spending her time talking to Americans. She has a punishing schedule out and about everywhere being with the people who she wants to elect her," she said.

The commerce secretary also said that the debate between Harris and Trump on Tuesday would be "robust." 

"I see in her somebody who has a vision, who’s been really clear about her desire to help businesses and small businesses. She talks about being pro-business, pro-worker at the same time. And I just see in Donald Trump somebody who governs with great unpredictability,"she said.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at IBEW Local Union #5 on Sept. 2, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

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Former President Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have sat down for at least 39 interviews since the Harris-Walz ticket was formed, compared to just six non-scripted interviews for the Democratic presidential ticket thus far.

Harris, in addition to the CNN interview, taped two radio interviews this week with Uforia, the audio network of TelevisaUnivision, and Rickey Smiley, host of the nationally syndicated "Rickey Smiley Show." The Uforia interview aired Friday, while the Smiley interview was set to air Friday but has been delayed until Monday due to what the campaign reportedly called "technical difficulties."

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Fox News' Brian Flood and David Rutz contributed to this report.