Kamala Harris's odds of winning the 2024 presidential election deteriorated noticeably after her CNN interview, which took place along with running mate Tim Walz, on Thursday evening, according to two leading bookmakers.
The vice president went from being the favorite to win with odds of 10/11 (52.4 percent) on Thursday to tied with Donald Trump on 19/20 (51.3 percent) each on Friday morning, according to the Star Sports betting company. Over the same period, Trump's odds of victory in November improved from 21/20 (48.8 percent) before the interview to 20/21 (51.2 percent), according to U.K. based bookmaker Betfair.
Thursday's interview with CNN's Dana Bash was the first time Harris faced unscripted questions in several weeks, a fact that had sparked intense criticism from Republican opponents. During the interview, Harris said she plans to "strengthen and support the middle class" if elected to the White House in November, adding the Biden administration had been required to "rescue the economy" after what she termed the "mismanagement" of the COVID-19 pandemic by Trump.
Speaking to Newsweek, Star Sports betting analyst William Kedjanyi said: "Vice President Harris is now tied at 19/20 with Republican candidate Donald Trump, drifting slightly from 10/11 yesterday. The Californian had been 5/6 in recent weeks but she has failed to surge ahead of Trump in the market.
"GOP supporters will hope Trump can now go on to tip the balance in his favor, before November's presidential election."
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom commented: "Before Kamala Harris' sit-down interview with CNN overnight, the Betfair Exchange market had more or less been neck and neck.
"While the lead in the betting has flip flopped throughout August, momentum is now with Trump and he has become the odds-on favorite again after being backed into 21/20."
Newsweek contacted the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump presidential election campaigns for comment on Friday by email outside of regular business hours.
During the CNN interview, Harris focused more on policy, vowing to "bring down the cost of everyday goods" by combating "price gouging" and to offer $25,000 tax credit for first time buyers. She also pledged to extend the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child's life.
Referring to the economy, Harris added: "We had to recover. I'm very proud of the work that we have done that has brought inflation down to less than 3 percent, the work that we have done to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors.
"Donald Trump said that he was going to do a number of things, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Never happened. We did it."
Harris also paid an emotional tribute to President Joe Biden who she said "cares so deeply about the American people."
She added: "He is so smart and loyal to the American people... He has the intelligence, the commitment, and the judgment and disposition that I think the American people deserve in their president. By contrast, the former president has none of that."
When Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, was asked to respond to Trump claim that she "happened to turn Black" for political gain she claimed the comment came from the "same old, tired playbook," adding: "Next question, please."
1 comment:
Walz was equally evasive on the hard questions.
However, don't get excited.
As of today, 270toWin has Harris ahead in its Electoral College seat count and the vast majority of recent polls at RealClearPolitics have her 1-2 points ahead. I was hoping there'd be a bump for Trump when RKF endorsed him but it hasn't materialized yet.
Here's hoping Trump demolishes her at the debate.
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