On October 17th, 2024, former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera criticized Vice President Kamala Harris after her recent interview on Fox News. Harris was probed on matters of immigration, a major national issue, by anchor Bret Baier.
Despite publicly supporting Harris for the upcoming election, Rivera expressed dissatisfaction with her answers on the subject of immigration.
After the interview, Rivera appeared on NewsNation, where he labeled Harris as “feisty” and “more mature.” However, he was puzzled by what he saw as her inability to effectively address the immigration queries. According to Rivera, Harris should have been prepared for the interview’s focus on the southern border and the immigration narrative of the Republicans.
The interview included questions about the deaths of several Americans, including Laken Riley, allegedly by undocumented immigrants. Rivera noted that Harris did not recognize the political manipulation of these unfortunate incidents. According to Rivera, Harris missed a chance to show empathy and denounce the politicization of these tragedies.
Rivera’s critique extended beyond Harris’ performance in the interview to the Democratic Party’s overall handling of the immigration crisis. He cautioned that immigration is the Democrats’ “biggest Achilles heel,” and their lack of meaningful solutions could harm their upcoming election prospects.
This is not the first time Rivera has expressed concerns over Harris’ handling of media appearances. Despite his support for her presidential bid, he has consistently raised concerns over her stance on pivotal issues, particularly immigration. Rivera urged her team to better manage these politically sensitive topics and foresee potential attacks.
During the interview, Harris also faced questions about President Biden’s health and international relations, including the U.S. policy on Iran. While these issues stirred less controversy, her perceived mismanagement of immigration questions dominated the post-interview discussions.
The immigration issue has become increasingly contentious recently, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection recording over seven million encounters with illegal immigrants since the start of fiscal year 2021. Rivera highlighted the importance of addressing immigration directly given these alarming figures.
In the context of the 2024 presidential race, Rivera’s critique holds weight. His public support for Harris and his disapproval of Trump’s unfounded allegations about the 2020 election denote his unique position. His criticisms echo the sentiments of moderates and Democratic Party insiders who expect Harris to adopt a more assertive stance on key issues.
As Harris continues her media engagements, political analysts and supporters will closely monitor how she manages the pressure of national scrutiny on these urgent issues.
