Obama official defends Harris' media silence: 'Tone it down, folks'

A former Obama official advised those criticizing Vice President Harris's unscripted media appearances to "tone it down" because the only thing that matters is winning.

Michael McFaul, the ex-U.S. ambassador to Russia under Obama, stated that Harris has no "moral obligation" to address the media if it doesn't aid her campaign.

"The primary goal for Kamala Harris is to win the election, according to an NBC News international affairs analyst. If a press conference can aid her in achieving this objective, she should do it. However, if it does not, she should not do it. It is as straightforward as that. Kamala Harris has no "moral obligation" to speak with the press."

McFaul has previously made an argument that is the opposite of what he is currently stating.

Students for Life president Kristan Hawkins pointed to a 2019 post from McFaul.

Edward Snowden was questioned by a Moscow reporter about whether he refused to speak with Russian journalists. McFaul responded, "It's a good question from @ElenaChernenko to @Snowden. People who value truth and transparency should not fear the press."

In December 2022, McFaul stated that Putin canceled his annual press conferences, finding it unpleasant to face a controlled press corps even when things are going badly.

In 2020, McFaul countered Trump's interview by asserting, "Democracy's journalists must pose challenging queries."

In 2019, he urged Republicans to have impeachment witnesses hold press conferences, reasoning that "If everything is going smoothly, there should be no problem."

"Schiff hearings lack transparency, prompting Republicans to rant. Witnesses should hold press conferences, and reporters would love to ask questions. If everything is fine, no problem."

The Tuesday post by McFaul exposed the mindset of the left-leaning elite in media and government.

"Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald stated that the US ruling class's mentality is explicitly stated as "our empowerment is the only thing that matters." They have no obligation to be accountable to anyone or explain themselves to anyone. If they choose to do so, it's only because it's in their interests."

Chris Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, argued that the "save our democracy" crowd dislikes the traditional and established process of democratic governance. According to Rufo, their opposition to democratic governance is merely an inconvenience and a threat to their perceived right to rule. In his view, voting for Trump is a way to uphold the republic.

Auron MacIntyre, a Blaze personality, stated that the left has abandoned any hope of public accountability or a marketplace of ideas.

Erielle Azzerad, an attorney and writer, joked, "We've transitioned from 'democracy perishes in the shadows' to 'this is the darkness, and you'll love it'."

"James Lindsay suggested that the right thing to do is always what advances the implementation of socialism, as Marxism explicitly states."

During her time in the Biden presidency, Harris has often been criticized for her "word salads" and gaffes. Both her supporters and detractors agree that she is more vulnerable in unscripted settings, as evidenced by a CNN report suggesting the Trump campaign was attempting to provoke her into a situation where she would be more vulnerable in such settings.