Kamala Harris’ media honeymoon appears to be ending, and not in the way she or her campaign had hoped. After months of sheltering behind friendly media outlets that offered little more than fluff interviews and easy questions, Harris is now starting to feel the heat as cracks form in her once impenetrable media shield.

The latest example of this shift came after her recent appearance on MSNBC, where she sat down with fangirl Stephanie Ruhle for what could only be described as another softball session. As per usual, Harris dodged questions and resorted to cackling awkwardly, this time in response to a bizarre exchange about her having worked at McDonald’s, with no meaningful policy insights in sight.

The real story, though, isn’t just about Harris’ lack of substance—it’s the media’s slow, but significant, shift. The New York Times, once a reliable cheerleader for Harris, has taken the gloves off. Their assessment of Harris’ appearance with Ruhle was biting, calling out her avoidance of tough questions and lack of accountability. It’s a stark contrast to the fawning coverage she enjoyed for so long.

The New York Times absolutely evicerated Kamala’s interview on MSNBC last night pic.twitter.com/2xaolETTbq

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 26, 2024

As the Times noted, Harris has stuck to a media strategy that involves sitting down with friendly outlets like CNN and MSNBC, where anchors like Ruhle and Dana Bash conveniently avoid pressing her on real issues. Whether it’s her role in the border crisis or her contributions to the administration’s failings, Harris has dodged any real scrutiny—until now. Even CNN has begun fact-checking her, something almost unheard of from a network that has been so cozy with the current administration.

And this is precisely Harris’ problem. For months, she’s tried to coast, hoping to make it to November without ever really being put on the spot. But the media can only cover for her so long before cracks begin to show.

Like Joe Biden in 2021, who ducked solo press conferences until the press corps had had enough, Harris is now facing growing pressure to actually answer questions. She can’t rely forever on empty rhetoric about “joy” and “aspirations” while avoiding the hard realities of her record. The longer she avoids giving real answers, the more voters see her for what she is—an empty suit.

The more Harris appears in these hollow interviews, the more Americans realize that she doesn’t have much to offer. The Times piece confirms that even her most loyal media allies are growing frustrated with her lack of substance. While many in the press are still giving her a free pass, the tide is beginning to turn.

At this point, Harris finds herself in a Catch-22. She can’t keep dodging the press forever, but the more she steps into the spotlight, the more apparent her deficiencies become. The longer she tries to shield herself from scrutiny, the worse it looks for her campaign. She’s boxed herself in, and it’s hard not to enjoy watching the unraveling unfold—especially as it’s now being driven by media outlets like The New York Times that were once her biggest defenders.