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David Axelrod called Kamala Harris' “SNL” sketch a “risk” but said she “seemed human.”

David Axelrod called Kamala Harris' “SNL” sketch a “risk” but said she “seemed human.”

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod argued that Vice President Kamala Harris' appearance on “Saturday Night Live” was a “great thing,” although it posed a risk.

Axelrod commented on her appearance on the long-running NBC comedy sketch show just days before the election.

“You know, it's a risk because you could go out there and bomb, and that's not good. But that was a really fun little skit. But the best thing about it was that she seemed very relaxed, she seemed human and she had to show a little understated humor, which is also winning in a politician. They took a little risk and changed the schedule a little. I think that was a great thing in the finale weekend,” Axelrod said on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”

KAMALA HARRIS was slammed for her “scripted” SNL appearance days before the election

David Axelrod

David Axelrod enjoyed Vice President Kamala Harris' SNL appearance the night before. (CNN screenshot)

Harris appeared as a “mirror image” of herself on Saturday night, opposite the SNL character portrayed by Maya Rudolph, at the end of the cold open that mocked former President Trump wearing a sanitary vest at a rally this week, as well as the repeated ones President Biden's blunder.

Rudolphs Harris wondered, “I wish I could talk to someone who was in my shoes. You know, a black, South Asian woman running for president. Preferably from the Bay Area.”

It then emerged that Harris was sitting across the table from her, which caused huge cheers from the audience. Harris grinned and said, “You and me both, sister.”

Although Axelrod enjoyed the spot, Harris was heavily criticized on social media, with many accusing the show of violating the Federal Communications Commission's equal-time rule.

FCC commissioner angers NBC over Harris' last-minute appearance on SNL: 'Clearly designed to evade rules'

Maya Rudolph and Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris

Maya Rudolph and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris appear on NBC's Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2024 in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

“The purpose of the rule is to prevent exactly this type of biased and partisan behavior – a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert influence on a candidate's behalf on the eve of an election,” FCC member Brendan Carr tweeted after Harris appeared was broke on the show.

Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich that SNL did not invite Trump. She added that executive producer Lorne Michaels said just last month that he had no plans to invite either contestant.

SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels told the Hollywood Reporter last month that it was unlikely that Trump or Harris would appear in the show's 50th anniversary season, citing the need for “equal time” for both.

SNL during the election cycle

Republicans argued that Harris' appearance on SNL could violate the Federal Communications Commission's equal-time rule. (– (Photo by: Rosalind OConnor/NBC via Getty Images))

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“Because of election laws and equal opportunity regulations, you can't bring the actual candidates,” Michaels said. “You can’t have the major candidates without having all the candidates, and there are a lot of minor candidates who are only on the ballot in about three states, and that gets really complicated.”

Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.

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