WASHINGTON, D.C. – Data journalist Nate Silver criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ top aides, labeling them as “non-player characters with no will of their own,” after they attempted to shift blame for the Democrat’s election loss.
Silver’s comments came in response to an interview conducted by “Pod Save America” with Harris campaign officials, Jen O’Malley Dillon and Stephanie Cutter. The officials defended the campaign’s decision to grant press interviews only after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last summer.
Following President-elect Donald Trump’s recent victory, Democrats and their supporters have begun to question Harris’ campaign strategy, which initially involved avoiding media interviews. The decision to pivot and engage with the press came later when public opinion polls showed Harris losing ground.
During the podcast interview, when asked about Harris’ media engagement compared to Trump’s, Cutter highlighted the criticism they received for Harris not doing enough media appearances, while Trump did not face the same scrutiny.
Silver, the founder of 538, criticized Harris’ campaign officials, stating that their lack of agency and decision-making authority was evident. He pointed out that Harris did not participate in solo network interviews until late September, attributing it to the campaign’s strategy rather than any external factors.
In response to O’Malley Dillon’s comment about the impact of a hurricane on the election, Silver noted that the storm did not significantly disadvantage Harris, as the affected states were won by Trump. He emphasized the relative stability of swing states like North Carolina and Georgia compared to others.
O’Malley Dillon and Cutter were not immediately available for comment on the criticisms made by Silver regarding their campaign strategy. The debate around Harris’ media engagement and its impact on the election outcome continues as Democrats reflect on the challenges faced during the campaign.