Vice President Kamala Harris recently chose to spend time with a Founding Father — not one on Mount Rushmore, but Alex Cooper, self-proclaimed “Founding Father” and host of the podcast “Call Her Daddy.”

The interview, released Oct. 6, came after an astonishing 77 consecutive days without a formal press conference from Harris, a streak that continues to grow at the present day.

Harris’s decision to go on “Call Her Daddy” is not just concerning; it’s downright insulting. It reduces female voters to one-dimensional caricatures only interested in provocative sex and dating advice, and obscures the critical obligation of presidential candidates to engage seriously with the press. 

“Call Her Daddy” is touted as the most-listened-to podcast among women, primarily addressing sexual identity, gender issues, and dating advice, often filled with crude humor and explicit references. The podcast does not reflect the broader concerns many women have as the election approaches. 

While Harris continues to shun reporters, she granted Cooper a full 40 minutes of uninterrupted airtime. 

“No topic was off limits. I prepared seven different versions of this interview,” Cooper shared with her “Daddy Gang,” a pet name for the podcast’s fanbase. “Do I talk about the economy, border control, or fracking? But then I realized, you can care about all of those issues on whichever news site you prefer, and let’s be real, I’m probably not the one to be having the fracking conversation.”

The Harris campaign knew exactly what it was doing — providing an extended platform to ask any question while choosing an interviewer unlikely to pose the questions voters genuinely wonder. Harris is able to combat the criticism of ignoring the press with no fear of any nuclear bombs to the campaign strategy. 

Even though Cooper is known for spicy anecdotes and jaw-dropping commentary, Harris somehow managed to make “Call Her Daddy” appearance boring. 

“The conversation I know I am qualified to have is the one surrounding women’s bodies and how we are treated and valued in this country,” Cooper said. 

Thus, Cooper spent 40 minutes asking Harris about her childhood, abortion, her racial background, and her feelings about not having biological children — a far cry from pressing policy issues. 

To call this interview a puff piece is an insult to puff pieces. In comparison, Bret Baier of Fox News, the most-watched cable news network, was given just 27 minutes with the vice president, much of which was spent watching Harris search for a “viral moment,” as Baier described. 

Harris was indignant throughout her conversation with Baier, questioning his probes and spewing her non-answers at him with a condescending tone. The conversation with Cooper, however, Harris filled with smiles and a pleasant tone, and spoke slowly and clearly. 

One of the many ignorant moments from the “Call Her Daddy” interview was when Cooper jokingly asked Harris, “Can we try and think of any law that gives the government the power to make a decision about a man’s body?” To which Harris responded “no” without hesitation. Has the vice president heard of the draft? 

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll of female voters revealed that inflation is their top concern, with 36% citing it as their main issue. Threats to democracy follow at 24%, with immigration and border security tied with abortion at 13% each — not to mention that a portion of women polled are inevitably pro-life, creating an even smaller margin that subscribes to Harris’s view. 

With over half of women concerned about topics beyond abortion, Harris’s focus on this issue appears to be a classic case of identity politics — a focus that allows Harris to ignore her administration’s shortcomings.

Harris could be this country’s first female president. For her to have such tunnel vision on abortion, promising to restore federal abortion laws, when so many other issues plague American women everyday, feels misguided and inherently anti-feminist. 

If Harris were open to talking with different publications and podcast hosts, this might be a different conversation. Her dodging of more traditional and serious media outlets, however, implies that she’s pandering to simple, one-track mind voters — in this case, a small subcategory of women. 

Women are intelligent and competent enough to get their news from reputable outlets, not “Call Her Daddy.” 

“This is how I think about media interviews. I think you do what I do with alcohol. You have one drink, and then you have some water, you have one drink, and then you have some water,” said Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Harris’s podcast appearance. “If you’re only drinking, you’re only hurting yourself, and if you’re only drinking water, you might not be having any fun.” 

Harris can talk about women’s issues anywhere, but instead chose a podcast that platforms grotesque and inappropriate topics. Would it still be condemnable if she were also participating in more professional interviews, yes, but it would be better if she were to employ Perino’s balance.

Beyond the lack of awareness on what American women truly care about, Harris was criticized for her participation on the show in the midst of two massive hurricanes that slammed the southeastern states. 

Many critics have questioned why Cooper was even qualified to conduct the interview, something the podcast host herself acknowledged. She conceded that politicians are not her usual guests. 

Cooper’s typical interviewees are celebrities and social media stars like Cardi B, Lindsay Lohan, and Dylan Mulvaney, the transgender activist known for the Bud Light ad scandal. Now, Vice President Kamala Harris can be added to that eclectic list of guests.

If Harris prefers viral moments to vital issues, what can Americans expect if she makes it to the Oval Office? Let’s hope voters aren’t left waiting until after they cast their votes to finally get the answers they deserve. 

 

Kamden Mulder is a senior studying American studies.