Harris looks for boost from Oprah as part of digital-first media strategy
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is looking for a boost with persuadable and less-motivated voters as she participates in a livestream Thursday evening with former talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
The event, billed as "Unite for America," is being hosted by Winfrey from suburban Michigan, one of this election's key battlegrounds. It is leaning on celebrities like Brian Cranston, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep, but also the stories of ordinary voters to promote Harris's message. More than 210,000 people were watching on the Harris campaign livestream on YouTube alone before Winfrey introduced the vice president — the event was also being streamed on other major social media platforms.
Harris' campaign is hoping the event will have the same impact of Winfrey's talk show, which drove bestseller lists and allowed celebrities to share their softer side and everyday people to share stories of struggle and inspiration. It comes as Harris is working to continue to share her biography and governing philosophy with voters during her abbreviated presidential campaign, with early voting already underway in some states.
Harris has limited her interactions with the traditional media, instead prioritizing digital engagement and casual — and often more controlled — moments that her campaign hopes will reach voters who increasingly get their news from digital sources.
"I want to bring my daughters to the White House to meet this Black woman president," comedian Chris Rock said.
The in-the-round stage has the appearance of a college campus, with faux brick pillars and a background of trees and green turf under the chairs of the several hundred guests in the audience. Dozens more supporters were featured on video screens in the hall.
The event is meant as a unifying event of Harris supporter groups that spun off organically after a "Black Women for Harris" call drew tens of thousands of viewers — and raised $1.5 million — in the hours after Harris took over for President Joe Biden after he ended his campaign in July. They included "White Dudes for Harris," "Comedians for Harris" and 'Swifties for Harris."
The campaign said Harris and Winfrey would make a direct call to action to viewers to volunteer for Harris' campaign and to make calls and knock on doors for the Democrat.
