CNN Puts Live Banner On Pre-Recorded Harris-Walz Interview

CNN displayed a live banner during the entirety of anchor Dana Bash’s pre-taped exclusive Thursday interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Bash made it apparent at the start of the broadcast that the interview with Harris and Walz had been recorded earlier on Thursday and was not airing live. It was Harris’ first sit-down interview since launching her 2024 presidential campaign on July 21 and aired exclusively on CNN at 9 p.m., with Bash providing live commentary on location in Georgia throughout the broadcast.

“We’re live from Savannah, Georgia. I’m Dana Bash and this is a state very much up for grabs. In between a whirlwind series of stops, I sat down with the Democratic Candidate for president and her running mate today at Kim’s cafe here in Savannah,” she said. “Inside, nothing was off the table and you will see our interview in its entirety, the vice president’s first as her party’s standard bearer, responding to her critics and answering our questions.”

The live banner appeared as Bash said the word “questions” and it remained visible throughout the entire broadcast.

The interview portion of the broadcast lasted just under 30 minutes, during which Bash questioned Harris on her policy reversals since her 2020 presidential campaign and pressed Walz on his misstatements about his military service.

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign criticized Harris for doing a pre-recorded interview in an X post, alleging the Harris campaign chose to use this format “so her handlers have time to play damage control.”

CNN declined to provide a comment on the record.