The closeness of this year’s presidential race has the candidates rushing to get their voices heard by as many voters as possible as the clock ticks down on this election. Recently, Harris and Trump have made their rounds in the podcast media circuit. This places them in front of an audience of younger voters who likely do not care enough about politics to be aware of their platforms and policies. The podcast venue allows politicians to go off script, deviate from talking points and highlight the most important issues to them. At the end of the day, presidents are people just like us. Trump even got a job at McDonald’s to prove it.
This year, former President Trump made appearances on the shows of several social media influencers, including YouTuber Logan Paul, Twitch streamer Adin Ross and comedian Theo Von. The selection is representative of the audience he is trying to mobilize: Bros. More specifically, apolitical bros who only watch ABC for football. By appearing on generally non-political podcasts, Trump can appeal to young men as the American hero who survived an (objectively very survivable) assassination attempt.
He leans heavily into this macho persona during the Logan Paul interview, where we learn about Trump’s favorite UFC fighters and whether he believes in aliens. On Ross’s stream, his fear-mongering campaign is targeted towards the mythical phenomena of other countries sending their criminals to the United States by the boatload. He condemns Harris for being loose on crime despite her lengthy career as a prosecutor and his lengthy career as a criminal.
I find this laidback style of campaigning successful when the host can pull out a more personable, relatable side of the politicians they are talking to, whether that be through personal anecdotes or light-hearted opinions. Trump struggles to be personable in his interviews because he is so far removed from the everyday America he is trying to appeal to. The power dynamic is palpable from the first second of these interviews. When Trump is on your show, there seems to be an expected dress code and attitude that everyone abides by. These are not friends sitting on a sofa and having a chat. Theo Von removes his backward snapback and sports a suit jacket in Trump’s New Jersey country club.
Logan Paul and his co-host shower the former President with endless praise, to the point that Logan calls him a martyr for speaking out against the justice system because he does not believe in the legitimacy of the criminal charges against him. Adin Ross has a peanut gallery of Trump supporters in the back of his stream and gives the President a Rolex and a Tesla Cybertruck wrapped in an image of his pose after the attempted assassination. These grand gestures and showy displays of affection do anything but humanize Trump.
Harris joined the race in late July and has had a fraction of the time that other candidates must campaign. Podcasts are an efficient way for her to share her platform, plans and values with as many people as possible to make up for the lost time. Her commitment is apparent by her appearing on multiple podcasts within the same day.
Harris has been featured on “All the Smoke” and “The Breakfast Club”, which have predominantly black male audiences. She spoke with Alex Cooper of “Call Her Daddy” and “The View”, both shows hosted by and for women. She also went on the shows of Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert, both known for left-leaning politics. By speaking to black people, women and Democrats, Harris is not trying to win over a voter base she never had. Instead, she speaks to populations within her reach who are willing to listen but need a final push to vote for her.
These venues allow her the space to discuss topics outside of her campaign platforms. On the “All the Smoke” podcast, she discusses decriminalizing marijuana and funding small businesses. On “The Breakfast Club”, she focuses on issues like men’s healthcare and education reforms as a necessity to build Black intergenerational wealth.
Aesthetically, Harris’s podcast appearances vary tremendously from Trump’s. While she typically appears in professional attire, she meets the hosts in their studios. She returned to the studio of “The Breakfast Club” for a live interview with Charlamagne tha God. Alex Cooper sports a hoodie and opts for different chairs but maintains everything else about her studio set. She invites hosts Matt and Stephen from “All the Smoke” into her house. Harris is much more successful at appearing human because the world does not come falling to her feet whenever she enters a room.
As we draw closer to the very fateful Election Day, both parties are trying to be heard by as many voices as possible. So, if you do not have the patience to watch the 2-hour debate or the storage on your phone for Trump’s Truth app, consider listening to a podcast interview. While the policies are not laid out in as much detail, these are great ways to become more educated on where the candidates stand on general issues and to learn more about them as people.