PR Lessons from Harris’ 'Baierly' Civil Fox News Interview

For communicators, the Oct. 16 Fox News Channel sit-down with Vice President Kamala Harris was must-watch viewing. Though Harris’ legal experience undoubtedly helped her, the 20-minute session also was a free ad for PR pros who offer media training and interview preparation.

For a dwindling number of journalists, fulfilling their audience’s information needs is top of mind. Some journalists have other goals, including attacking those they interview and/or setting traps for them, hoping they say something regrettable or embarrassing, resulting in devastating headlines (and journalistic fame).   

Before Wednesday night, Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor Brett Baier was considered among the fairer and more honest of the MAGA-friendly network’s talent. True, Baier crossed  the ideological divide a few times. Still, he’d also gently criticized former president Trump. 

Baier’s reputation was such that hours before the Fox session, Harris campaign communicator Ian Sams, said on a podcast that Baier’s “journalistic background … makes him a fair person” to interview his boss.  

Indeed, if the mark of a fair-ish Fox journalist is you’re one of Trump’s targets, then Baier was among the fairest of them all. 

Trump Attacks, Then Gives a Baier Hug

For instance, before the debate, Trump attacked the choice of Baier and also took a shot at Fox. Harris “wisely” chose Baier for her interviewer, Trump posted online, “because he is considered to be “Fair & Balanced,” though often very soft to those on the “cocktail circuit” Left. I would have preferred seeing a more hard hitting journalist, but Fox has grown so weak and soft on the Democrats, constantly polluting the airwaves with unopposed Kamala Representatives … .”

It wasn’t the media critic-in-chief’s first shot at Baier. He blasted the anchor last year for his questions during a 2023 interview. 

[A translation of Trump’s oral tradition: How dare a Fox News Channel reporter, or any journalist for that matter, ask me tough but fair questions! It’s disgraceful.] 

Interesting, then, that Trump quickly reversed course, praising Baier with gusto after the Harris broadcast.   

PR’s Constant Problem: ‘The Media Is Out To Get Us’

Baier’s Wednesday performance wasn’t all good news for PR pros. He offered strong evidence for PR clients who insist that earned media is money wasted since “journalists are out to get us!” 

Instead of letting Harris answer questions and inform Fox viewers about someone they rarely see and who is criticized from all corners for not fleshing out her policies, Baier relentlessly, and uncharacteristically for him, interrupted his guest. In addition, especially in the early moments, he spoke while the Vice President was talking. 

As opposed to presiding over a civil conversation, a cable news rarity during this campaign, Baier seemed intent on establishing himself as a politically motivated combatant.

Baier’s opening salvo was a slightly veiled attack. He asked Harris if she knew how many illegal immigrants “your administration” had released into the country. Before she could answer, Baier interrupted repeatedly, eventually answering his question with “6 million people.” 

Of course, Baier’s questions and aggressive attitude also could help PR pros make a case for the importance of preparing for difficult questions and how to recognize a hostile questioner, vital parts of media training.

Avoiding a Baier Trap

More material for PR pros to use when touting media training was offered when Harris deftly sidestepped one of Baier’s traps. A bit after he asked Harris, If Trump is as bad as you say, why are roughly half of Americans backing him? He then added, “Are they stupid?” 

Harris wisely avoided the bait and left Baier with pie on his face. “I would never say that about the American people,” she responded indignantly. 

In fact, Baier’s “stupid” goading let Harris present herself as a unifying force in contrast to Trump, who, she said, is known for dividing the electorate, demeaning members of the American public, whacking journalists and anyone who disagrees with him. 

Certainly Trump’s hateful rhetoric makes him a large and juicy target, not to mention a constant source of angst for communication staffers and others attempting to keep him on message and from avoiding missteps.  

The examples are numerous. For instance, months ago he espoused being a “dictator” and more recently promised a bloodbath and vowed revenge on those he opposes, including deploying U.S. troops against “the enemy within.” (More on this below.)

Baier’s goading illustrated another aspect of media prep: the importance of knowing how to respond when a journalist seems intent on making a case instead of conducting an interview.

Showing Strength

Regardless of whether or not Baier sought a gotcha moment, his regular interruptions piled up, unintentionally aiding Harris. 

For instance, it is said Americans vote for candidates who display strength and composure. As such, Baier unwittingly helped Harris score points. The VP assumed the role of strong, patient adult, countering Baier’s overanxious, discourteous youngster. 

Early in the show Harris, for example, sensing this was not an interview but a debate, lightly scolded Baier for interrupting her. He stopped, went silent for a few seconds, and promptly resumed interrupting and talking over his guest. 

There’s no way of knowing, but how many viewers, undecideds among them, were thinking at that moment, Why doesn’t he let her answer the question? I’d like to hear her. If he’s worried she’ll stray off topic — pivoting in PR speak — he can respectfully say, “You didn’t answer my question.” That will make her look bad.

When Attacking with Video, Make Sure It’s Right

Perhaps the moment Baier ceded the most ground was when he showed footage of Trump at a Fox Town Hall earlier that day. It was after Harris noted Trump’s attacks on the public. The footage, Baier said, would showed that Trump is more a target of attacks than an attacker himself. 

Yet Harris adroitly and respectfully challenged the footage, noting a large portion of Trump’s campaign playbook consists of attacks as opposed to solutions. Moreover, the clip, she said, was not a fair representation of the former president’s recent rhetoric.

Thursday, after the debate, Baier admitted Fox ran the wrong clip. However, it’s unclear exactly what Baier meant when he admitted making a “mistake.”    

Just Showing Up

Of course, it’s arguable that Harris’ appearance on Fox News was more important than anything that was said during the session. Merely agreeing to appear on Baier’s show, some believe, helped her counter the criticism that women face daily in some quarters — that they lack toughness and intelligence. A woman as president of the United States? And Harris, a Black woman? Unthinkable! 

(This might have been Baier’s mistaken impression of Harris prior to his meeting her. It’s certainly Trump’s.)

Speaking of displaying guts and smarts, Harris appearing on Fox before nearly 8 million viewers is another contrast with Trump, whose recent media-dodging makes it hard imagining him sitting for a mainstream interview. 

In just a few weeks he’s refused a session with “60 Minutes,” and cancelled or postponed visits with NBC and CNBC. Can you imagine Trump sitting for an interview in a relatively unfriendly setting like MSNBC? If so, can you imagine him keeping his composure the way Harris did with Baier? Really? 

True, he attended a testy session at the Chicago Economics Club with Bloomberg’s editor in chief, whom he called “nasty” but not “overly nasty.” Afterward, Trump insisted he was tricked. The Club had promised Trump he’d deliver a speech, not have him sit for an interview. (Darn, who knew running for president would involve being held accountable?)  

Again, kidding aside, Harris’ Fox News experience shows only those with the discipline that comes with media training and preparation are advised to consider a potentially difficult interview.