Despite being given the task of “speaking” for the Biden administration on the crisis at the border, Kamala Harris hasn’t given a news conference in almost two weeks. On March 24 and 25, ABC, CBS and NBC were all excited for the Vice President’s “important new job” of trying to "stem the surge of migrants crossing the southern border." They hyped it on six different shows. But now that she’s basically absent, they don’t care.
As Fox News's Sam Dorman reported on Monday, “Since the beginning of the administration and a week after Biden's announcement, Harris has fielded questions from the media but has yet to hold a formal news conference.”
Now the networks haven’t objected to this or mentioned her disappearance. Yet, on the March 24, CBS Evening News, Margaret Brennan trumpeted, “Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris has an important new job: Leading the administration's effort to stem the surge of migrants crossing the southern border.”
On that day back in March, Evening News journalist Janet Shamlian hyped, “President Biden today announcing Vice President Harris will take charge of the growing crisis.” Over on ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir cheered, “President Biden tonight now asking Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the effort to stem the tide from Central America. The president saying, ‘When she speaks, she speaks for me.’”
Of course, she’s now NOT speaking at news conferences. So, where’s the outrage? World News Tonight reporter Rachel Scott on March 24 seemed to preview the blasé attitude journalists would adopt: “Biden has signaled that he will go to the border at some point. And so has Harris, but no dates have been set.”
On the March 24 NBC Nightly News, Lester Holt alerted viewers to the seemingly important development: “President Biden today appointed Vice President Harris to lead the effort to stem migration across the southern border as record numbers of unaccompanied children arrive.”
All three morning shows, Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning, on March 25 covered the Harris’s big new job. On GMA, Scott predicted “pressure” on Biden and Harris: “And with pressure growing on the Biden administration, the President tapping vice president Kamala Harris to take the lead.”
Of course, now that Harris is skipping news conferences, where’s the pressure?
The initial hype for Harris was sponsored on World News Tonight by Weathertech, on Nightly News by Febreze, on the CBS Evening News by Nissan. Click on the links to tell the networks to start covering her absence again.
Partial transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS Evening News
3/24/2021
6:35MARGARET BRENNAN: Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris has an important new job: Leading the administration's effort to stem the surge of migrants crossing the southern border. So many are coming in, that the administration is looking for new facilities to house them. CBS' Janet Shamlian reports tonight from the border in Texas.
JANET SHAMLIAN: Tonight, reporters are getting their first look inside the carrizo springs facility in Texas, a shelter to more than 700 teen boys who crossed the border without parents. The image is highly sanitized compared to this footage, showing highly overcrowded centers. President Biden today announcing Vice President Harris will take charge of the growing crisis.
BRENNAN: But I have asked her, the V.P., today because she's the most qualified person to do it.
World News Tonight
3/24/2021DAVID MUIR: In the meantime, though, we do turn to the other news this Wednesday night, the surge of migrants at the southern border. President Biden tonight now asking Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the effort to stem the tide from Central America. The president saying, “When she speaks, she speaks for me.”
...
RACHEL SCOTT: Biden facing growing pressure, today naming Vice President Harris in charge of stemming migration from Central America.
JOE BIDEN: I think the best thing to do is to put someone who, when he or she speaks, they don't have to wonder about, "Is that where the president is?" When she speaks, she speaks for me.
SCOTT: Biden has signaled that he will go to the border at some point. And so has Harris, but no dates have been set. Vice President Kamala Harris will be challenged with trying to find a long-term solution to address the situation here along the border, which in the short-term, David, is only expected to get worse. David?
NBC Nightly News
3/24/2021LESTER HOLT: President Biden today appointed Vice President Harris to lead the effort to stem migration across the southern border as record numbers of unaccompanied children arrive.
CBS This Morning
3/25/2021GAYLE KING: The president has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the effort to stem illegal migration into the United States.
Good Morning America
3/25/2021RACHEL SCOTT: And with pressure growing on the Biden administration, the president tapping vice president Kamala Harris to take the lead.
JOE BIDEN: I think the best thing to do is put someone who when he or she speaks they don't have to wonder about what is that where the president is? When she speaks, she speaks for me.
SCOTT: Both the vice president and the president said that they do plan to visit the border but as of now, Amy, no date set.
Today
3/25/2021GABE GUTIERREZ: Now, Vice President Harris is being tasked with leading diplomatic efforts in Central American countries to try and stem the flow.
