How Sports Podcasts Snubbed Kamala Harris' Campaign

Imagine this: the former White House official who pushed for online censorship is now griping about politics and sports. Rob Flaherty, who worked for Vice President Kamala Harris, revealed that her campaign struggled to get booked on sports podcasts. Why? Because sports culture had become associated with right-wing values, making it tough for athletes and sports personalities to support her. During Harris' presidential bid, appearing on sports podcasts was seen as a way to reach a broader audience. But Harris faced a snag. Sports and culture had merged, and this new blend leaned conservative. So, many sports personalities shied away from discussing politics, making it hard for Harris to get booked. Flaherty didn't name the podcasters who turned Harris down, but he noted that even seemingly sympathetic hosts like Colin Cowherd, Bill Simmons, and the Kelce brothers didn't have her on. Despite the challenges, Harris did appear on "All The Smoke" with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in September.

In his interview, Flaherty also praised Donald Trump's McDonald's stunt, saying it generated both traditional and social media buzz. He admitted that traditional media like the New York Times and Washington Post might not be the best bet for reaching undecided voters, as many people don't trust these institutions anymore. To connect with people who distrust elites and institutions, Flaherty suggested using cultural touchpoints and speaking their language. He mentioned how podcast hosts like Joe Rogan and Theo Von discuss issues that Democrats could also talk about, like Medicare for All and the opioid crisis. But as long as Democrats seem like the party of the system, reaching anti-system listeners will remain challenging.

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