Harris challenges Axelrod over criticism she's too 'cautious' on trail

[DonViejo]

By CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO and CARLA MARINUCCI 06/01/2019 08:22 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO — Sen. Kamala Harris on Saturday pushed back at the emerging narrative that she’s been too timid while campaigning for president, using a POLITICO interview to challenge her naysayers to come watch her field questions on the road.

Harris’ uneven national TV appearances, in particular a pair of CNN town halls, have drawn repeated critiques from former top Obama strategist David Axelrod, now an influential political commentator and podcast host from his perch as director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.

Last month, after Harris vacillated on several CNN questions — including whether violent felons should be allowed to vote — Axelrod predicted the California senator's lack of directness could backfire.

“She is an incredibly compelling personality; a very bright and accomplished person,” he said in post-town hall analysis that aired on CNN. “But she’s very cautious — and that caution was pretty apparent in a lot of her answers.”

In a Los Angeles Times report Friday, Axelrod credited Harris for her tough questions during Senate hearings, but again pounded away at the impression that she plays it too safe.

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https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/01/kamala-harris-david-axelrod-2020-campaign-1349600

[comradebillyboy]

1. CNN is much more interested in its ratings than the good of

the country. Ax and the CNN crew want Kamala and the other Dems to get in the mud with Trump simply for the entertainment value.

[Peacetrain]

2. I have nothing agaist David Axelrod..but Kamala Harris needs to be true to who herself..

[Merlot]

3. Criticism can be constructive

Maybe Harris needed to hear this. I think there is a difference between constructive criticism and tearing someone down or mudslinging. Anything that brings a candidate up on their game is fine by me.

I'm a Harris fan (obviously), and I get that she's tougher that some of those town hall answers implied. It worried me what others who don't know her well enough would conclude, what opinions they would form due to some of her answers.

I have no doubt that during the debates she will be a force.

[JI7]

4. Axelrod has a problem with female candidates

i remember his behavior when Hillary ran.

[tishaLA]

5. I love Sen Harris

And she's either my first or second choice right now, but IMO Axelrod is more right than wrong about this. I

t's not necessarily about caution, though, as much as it's about not saying something she believes might be unpopular, because that's when she goes into her "that's a conversation we should have" mode, like she did about incarcerated felons voting. It was obvious she wanted to say it was a bad idea, and she did say it the next day, but she couldn't bring herself to say it in the moment despite having three opportunities to do so.