‘Boring is good’: Stephen Loosley on CNN’s Kamala Harris interview

well it's a long time coming we're now just over two months away from the US election in sporting terms it has become a nailbiter as close as close let's take a deep dive into the state of play in the United States joining me live is former federal labor Senator and US expert Steven loosley Steph good morning we've seen the first interview that Camala Harris has taken since becoming the Democratic nominee what did you think the fact that uh all Donald Trump could say about the interview was that it was boring is very good for the uh for the Democrats if you're endeavoring to reassure people that you are a safe Pair of Hands as president of the United States and vice president of the United States then boring is good they uh uh handled the uh the questions from uh Donna bash with uh with skill and opened up a little bit about families and themselves as well as their political view so I think both vice president Harris and and Governor walz can take some satisfaction from this first major interview I'm assuming that they'll do a limited number of other uh uh interviews they'll concentrate on doing what they at the moment campaigning in uh in GE Georgia they'll continue to do that kind of uh of tour um but the interview overall it was a plus for the uh for the Democratic ticket there has been criticism that they did it together I don't think uh that that's a problem I remember Bill Clinton and Al Gore campaigning together in 1992 after the the democratic convention uh and it's accepted in uh in American politics that if you're promoting the the ticket overall uh then from time to time you Campaign together and I think uh Harrison Waltz have uh have clicked so they should maximize uh that the drama is on the other side where uh the Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance doesn't seem entirely comfortable in certain circumstances and Donald Trump has had a problem in adjusting to the reality that he's no longer up against President Biden but he's up against an entirely new uh candidate in conla Harris and an entirely new Democratic ticket so I wouldn't worry about the uh the fact that the the vice president and Governor walz campaigned together in the interview it was well choreographed wasn't it from Donald Trump against Joe Biden they'd obviously put a lot of planning into it they from Sleepy Joe onwards uh the narrative was all there and look Joe Biden in that debate didn't perform well so it all just played out brilliantly he does look frustrated or brilliantly for them I say he does look frustrated doesn't he either his social media posts or his responses or his negativity it's all seems a little bit all over the shop uh it's no uh where focused and the the candidate in Donald Trump is not disciplined and while I had a successful convention in Milwaukee uh the Republicans have run off the rails just about every time uh they've been confronted with an issue since such is the the episode at Arlington National Cemetery just a few days ago and uh and Donald Trump can can consider himself Lucky in some respects he's not been held to a sharper account for some of the things that he has said he continues to uh campaign in on the edge of misogyny with some of the uh the items that he reposts and the coarseness in his campaigning has res Ed in a 20po lead for the Democrats amongst American women albe it a uh a comfortable margin for the Republican ticket amongst white males so we've seen the polls shift dramatically since KLA Harris stepped up and it was pointed out that she had to step up very quickly once the president endorsed her and she was obliged to Simply Be herself there could be no no real calculation when she comes out smiling and joking and so on she exudes a certain joy in campaigning the Republican campaign on the other hand hasn't much moved Beyond American Carnage from Donald Trump's uh in aural all those years ago after the 2016 election so there there are contrast here and the polls have shifted it is a very tight race as you said in your introduction Tim uh this is not so much a national election as people are aware it's an election in seven Battleground States in uh in in in different regions of the uh of the country and that Focus sees one point two points really the difference uh in in States ranging from Nevada to North Carolina it's close it's unbelievably close and and crystal balls very quickly I know they're very murky when it comes to looking ahead in politics but if you had to give a view um of November 5 right now what would it be I would much rather have my money on the Democratic ticket for uh for a couple of uh reasons firstly the Democrats have developed some serious momentum if you look at everything from enthusiasm of of the crowds that the rallies for the for the vice president through to the flow of money and there's an element in American American presidential politics that is seldom remarked him and that is optimism the side which is optimistic and looking to the Future generally wins and we can go right back to 932 in Franklin Roosevelt's campaign Happy Days Are Here Again right through to uh to Ronald Reagan mourning in America in from memory 1984 the optimism becomes infectious the momentum builds and the the party that has claimed uh those realities wins the election at the moment that's the Democrats there's no question about that Stephen always great to chat we'll do it again soon thanks Sten pleasure