CNN’s Harris interview chance to draw new false equivalence with Trump

So Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris will FINALLY sit down for a televised interview with a mainstream media journalist Thursday night. It’s about darn time.

Harris has led the Democratic ticket for more than a month, and I am outraged ‒ OUTRAGED, I say ‒ that it has taken her this long to sit down with a news organization I don’t trust and provide answers I will take out of context and use against her.

Who does she think she is, the sitting vice president of the United States and a longtime political figure with a record that can be easily accessed on the internet?!?

CNN’s Dana Bash needs to ask Kamala Harris some serious questions

Now, I have questions for this Harris person. Burning questions.

And when she sits down with CNN’s Dana Bash, I hope the first question is: “Why did you bring your vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, with you to this interview? Are you afraid to face me alone? No presidential candidate has ever done a joint interview with their VP pick, except for Donald Trump and Mike Pence, Donald Trump and JD Vance, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, Bill Clinton and Al Gore and … I guess the question here is, why are you so cowardly?”

Then I hope Bash goes on and asks Harris: “You’ve been the Democratic presidential nominee for 39 days and, unlike your Republican opponent, you still have not been indicted or convicted of any felonies. Do you think America is ready to trust a presidential candidate who goes this long without being charged with a crime? What is it you’re not hiding?”

That would be a perfectly fair question and not at all an attempt by a news organization to create a false sense of balance in a race between a normal candidate and a convicted felon who tried to overturn a free and fair election and fomented an attack on our nation’s Capitol. 

Presidential debate still on Sept. 10?Trump’s 10 very specific demands for a debate with Harris, probably.

Why is Harris too afraid to deeply offend military veterans?

Bash should continue: “Vice President Harris, many have taken note of the fact that you have yet to belittle Medal of Honor winners, and to date, you have not stood in a restricted area of Arlington National Cemetery where federal law prohibits ‘partisan political activities’ and filmed a campaign video. How do you explain this egregious respect for our nation’s veterans and your glaringly honorable appreciation for the sanctity of hallowed ground?”

Surely those questions will have Harris off balance. That’s when Bash needs to kick into rapid-fire attack mode.

“When did you first decide you were going to do a violent coup against President Joe Biden and become a mysterious presidential candidate nobody knows anything about?”

“Why have you not sold a single Bible with your name on it?”

Harris must answer the tough questions so I can disagree with her

“Your opponent has called you a communist, a Marxist and a socialist. Why have you not responded in kind by calling him words that you can’t define? Is that a sign of weakness?”

“The Republican presidential nominee has said America is a third-world nation, a banana republic and a joke. What do you say to voters who fear you may not have the judgment to properly hate America?”

Donald Trump, JD Vance and RFK Jr.?‘Weird’ doesn’t do justice to this loony trifecta.

“Madam Vice President, if that is your real name, Donald Trump did a press conference this month during which, according to NPR, he made ‘at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes.’ Why have you not yet done a press conference in which you make at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes? Do you not feel you’re up to the task of lying that much?”

Can a presidential candidate be taken seriously if she’s not facing charges?

“Melania Trump is rarely seen in public or on the campaign trail with former President Trump. You, on the other hand, speak affectionally of your husband, Doug Emhoff, and are regularly seen together. Does that suggest there’s a problem with your marriage that voters who believe in strong families should be concerned about?”

“We’ve been talking for nearly an hour now and I can’t help but notice you remain completely un-indicted and continue to not owe millions of dollars in fines for criminal tax fraud. Don’t you think that’s going to be a liability for you heading into this election?”

I look forward to watching this vitally important interview. We’ve already had to wait too long for someone to hold Harris’ feet to the fire.

This darn false equivalence isn’t going to build itself, people.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk