Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time," sparked a debate by suggesting that Vice President Kamala Harris' avoidance of the press is more disrespectful than former President Donald Trump's criticism of journalists.
In a discussion with CNN's Kaitlan Collins Friday, Maher compared Harris and Trump's press interactions, igniting a broader conversation about the role of media in political accountability, Fox News reported.
"What do you think about the fact that Kamala doesn't talk to the press?" Maher asked Collins. "In a way, I feel like it's more insulting than what Trump does. Trump says you're 'the enemy of the people,' which is pretty bad.
"What she's kind of saying is, 'I don't need you. I'm not talking to you. You don't matter. You're not relevant anymore to me.' To me, that's even worse than 'I hate you.' It's like, 'I don't think about you.'"
Collins, who covered Trump as a White House correspondent, defended Harris' silence.
"I don't know if it's worse than denigrating the press on a daily basis, which is what Donald Trump did," she said. Collins described her experience with Trump, noting that he often tried to intimidate journalists by engaging in "personal arguments" or "denying" the validity of their questions.
But Collins agreed with Maher that the vice president should be more forthcoming with the media.
"I do think she should talk to the press. I think anyone who wants to have access to the nuclear codes should be willing to sit down and take questions. And we want to have her on the show," Collins said.
Maher shared her sentiment, though he remained skeptical. "I'd love to, too. But I'm not going to hold my breath."
Harris' media silence has become increasingly noticeable as she avoids interviews and press conferences. Despite promises to schedule media appearances, including a recent comment about potentially granting an interview by the end of August, Harris has yet to follow through.
When Fox News reporter Peter Doocy recently inquired about an interview, Harris jokingly responded, "I'm working toward it."