White House News Photographers Association slams Harris campaign for 'reduction in access'

By 
 September 14, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris, not unlike President Joe Biden, isn't a fan of taking questions from reporters and having to explain policy positions, and is seemingly going to great lengths to maintain that shadow. 

According to Red State, the president of the White House News Photographers Association has written a letter to Harris' campaign over concerns of the campaign overseeing an "unprecedented reduction in access" to the vice president now that she's the Democratic nominee.

Jessica Koscielniak wrote the letter to the Harris campaign in late August, according to the report.

Harris has done only a single sit-down interview, which included her running mate, Tim Walz.

What happened?

Koscielniak held nothing back in her letter to the Harris campaign, calling them out for restricting access to the VP on Air Force 2, among other concerns.

"The WHNPA strongly calls on the Harris campaign to reconsider the number of media seats allowed on Air Force 2," the letter read, in part.

Red State noted:

Their access is so limited that they've even suggested the Harris team add a "chaser plane" for journalists to tail Air Force 2 to campaign events.

 

Veteran White House photographer Doug Mills added, "It's essential to us for people to understand the importance of having a full photographer pool. Every photographer sees each event differently."

Harris' campaign responded to the letter:

Harris' office wrote to the association that they explored adding more seats on Air Force Two and a chase plane and "learned both suggestions are not viable given available resources, including personnel and aircraft."

That answer didn't sit well with Koscielniak. She responded with, "It's very disappointing. This is the smallest number of media to travel for presidential race in my memory. When Vice President Harris became the presidential nominee, it should have been negotiated by the WHCA that the full 13 member travel pool be on her plane."

Pushback is good

As RedState noted, pushback from such organizations is a move in the right direction, but there needs to be more pressure exerted.

Harris has been accused of running a similar campaign to what Biden ran in 2020, which was mostly from his basement.

Only time will tell if Harris and her campaign find a way to appease groups that are typically friendly to them.

" A free people [claim] their rights, as derived from the laws of nature."
Thomas Jefferson