Genius is often described as the ability to see a new way forward, to advance a discipline in a manner that transcends old, stuffy definitions and ushers us into brave new worlds. On this score, Kamala Harris’ press pool is very deserving of just and proper recognition. This is why I believe that the Harris press pool members should receive a Pulitzer Prize for their unique approach this election cycle, in which the candidate is never asked any questions relevant to being president, but rather given the joyous opportunity to simply share her deeply human qualities.
Just this weekend in Pittsburgh, we saw the power of this New Journalism on display. While traditional journalists might have been focused on pressing issues like the murder of an American by Hamas or the disappointing job numbers, Harris’s press pool instead focused on her purchase of spices at Penzeys Spices. One Washington Post writer even tweeted a detailed list of the spices Harris bought.
This seemingly mundane detail is presented as a profound insight into Harris’s character, a testament to the press pool’s commitment to portraying her in a positive light. The article further suggests that the focus on feel-good moments and avoidance of challenging questions is a deliberate strategy to appeal to voters emotionally rather than intellectually.
The author highlights several examples of this approach, including the press pool’s focus on Harris’s love for Doritos and her recipe for collard greens, as well as their portrayal of Tim Walz’s food preferences and Doug Emhoff’s nighttime pretzel habit. He argues that this shift from traditional news reporting to emotional storytelling represents a broader trend in the media landscape, one where honesty is sacrificed for feel-good narratives.
The author concludes by suggesting that this new form of journalism, characterized by its focus on emotional appeal and avoidance of hard questions, is designed to help Democrats get elected and potentially reflects a broader shift towards a less rigorous and more ‘feel-good’ news media. He argues that this approach, while perhaps effective in the short term, ultimately undermines the public’s trust in journalism and its ability to hold politicians accountable.
