Angela Poe Russell: VP Harris interview on FOX ‘both exciting and terrifying’

Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to do an interview on FOX News on Wednesday and KIRO Newsradio contributor Angela Poe Russell calls it “both exciting and terrifying,” highlighting the potential impact of this strategic move by the Harris campaign.

Appearing on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio, Angela explained why she believes this is a brilliant move.

“She hasn’t done an interview on the network,” Russell said. “It needs to happen.”

She emphasized the importance of reaching voters who might agree with the Republican platform but are disillusioned with Donald Trump.

“It’s an opportunity to perhaps reach some voters,” she added. “I don’t want to call them swing, but maybe she can sway some folks.”

Russell also pointed out that many viewers might tune in simply because they trust FOX News anchor Bret Baier more than other interviewers.

“This is an opportunity to maybe have her sit with a journalist that they have a little bit more trust in,” she noted, despite Trump’s attempts to undermine the interview by calling FOX News “soft.”

However, Angela stressed that Harris must approach the interview strategically.

“The number one thing she needs to do in this interview, she has to put away some of the talking points,” Russell advised. “She has to get real.”

Charlie Harger: Three weeks until Election Day and 2016’s lessons still matter

She used an analogy from the movie “Hitch” to illustrate her point, comparing Harris’s tendency to stay “in the pocket” to Donald Trump’s more spontaneous style.

“Kamala stays in the pocket too much,” she said. “We like Kamala at her best when she doesn’t stick so much to the script.”

One critical question Harris must address is how she differs from President Joe Biden.

“What will make you more than just another term for Joe Biden?” Angela asked, noting that Harris had previously avoided answering this question.

“My hope is that she is now more prepared to tackle that,” she said.

Given her close relationship with Biden, Angela acknowledged the delicate balance Harris must maintain.

“This is the person who gave her, her big break,” she said. “It’s also reasonable, isn’t it? Just because you guys are on the same ticket, doesn’t mean you aren’t two different people with two different ideas and ideals.”

The Latest: Harris and Trump push to energize key voting blocs their allies worry are slipping away

Angela also emphasized the importance of Harris acknowledging past mistakes and evolving her positions.

“She’s got to be able to say that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to change the immigration rules at the start of the administration,” she said. “This is what I loved as a journalist about President Obama, is he was not afraid to say ‘I made a mistake.'”

In addition, Russell advised Harris to focus on facts and avoid fear-mongering.

“I don’t think it’s going over well to keep saying Trump’s dangerous,” she said. “He’s dangerous. This is going to be bad for you.”

The segment concluded with Russell expressing optimism about Harris’s preparation.

“I think someone smarter than me has coached her on how to answer that question,” she said, adding that Harris needs to speak to the hopes and aspirations of the American people while addressing their concerns directly.

“Are we done already? Goes by fast,” Russell remarked at the end of the interview, reflecting on the engaging discussion.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.