The Kamala Harris campaign has found itself embroiled in controversy after a teaser clip for her “60 Minutes” interview was released online, showing a different version of her response to a question compared to the final interview that aired. Donald Trump took to Truth Social to demand an apology from CBS for airing two different versions of Harris’ response and accused the network of making her appear “more Presidential” in the edited version. Both clips have been circulating on social media, prompting calls for the release of the full interview transcript.
The Harris campaign distanced itself from the controversy, stating that they do not control CBS’s production decisions and referred questions to the network. CBS has yet to respond to the calls for the full interview transcript to be released. During the Monday night broadcast, CBS News reported that Trump had backed out of his own “60 Minutes” interview, with his campaign claiming that the network would fact-check the interview. This marks the first general election year since 1968 where both presidential candidates did not sit down with “60 Minutes” in October.
In the longer teaser clip that aired on Oct. 6, Harris provided a detailed response to a question about the U.S.’s influence over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She discussed the aid given to Israel and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the conflict in the region. However, in the shorter version that aired on Oct. 7, her response was noticeably edited down to focus on the diplomatic efforts with Israel. Both versions of her response have been transcribed for comparison.
The controversy surrounding the edited response in the “60 Minutes” interview has raised questions about the editing decisions made by CBS and the impact it may have on the perception of Harris’ responses. Trump’s demand for an apology from the network has added fuel to the fire, with calls for transparency and clarity on the interview process. The Harris campaign has maintained that they have no control over CBS’s production decisions and have referred inquiries to the network.
As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how CBS will address the calls for the full interview transcript to be released. The comparison between the longer and shorter versions of Harris’ responses has sparked debate online, with differing opinions on the editing decisions made by the network. The lack of a response from CBS so far has only added to the mystery surrounding the handling of the interview. With the election season in full swing, the impact of this controversy on the Harris campaign and the network’s credibility remains to be seen.
