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What you should know about the interview

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What you should know about the interview

Vice President Kamala Harris was interviewed on “Call Her Daddy,” one of the most popular podcasts in the worldn Spotify to discuss women's issues ahead of the 2024 election.

The interview comes as Harris tries to drum up support in her hotly contested race with former President Donald Trump, whose campaign efforts have also ventured into the podcast and streaming scene, with appearances on Lex Fridman, Theo Von and others .

Host Alex Cooper opened the episode by explaining why she doesn't often talk about politics or interview politicians, explaining that she wants everyone to feel comfortable tuning in.

“Overall, my focus is on women and the everyday issues we face,” Cooper said.

The episode, released on Sunday, can be listened to on Spotify. Here's what you should know about the interview.

Exclusive USA TODAY Polls: Harris is losing ground among young Latino men

What is the Call Her Daddy Podcast?

According to the music sharing website, “Call Her Daddy” was Spotify’s second most popular podcast in 2023. “The Joe Rogan Experience” was the first. According to Variety, it's also most popular among women.

Created in 2018, the podcast releases new episodes on Wednesdays and Sundays and discusses relationship advice, mental health and other topics.

Why did Cooper interview Harris?

The host went “back and forth” on the decision to interview the vice president.

“But at the end of the day, I couldn’t imagine a world where women are at the center of this election, and I’m not a part of that,” she said. “I'm so aware that I have a very mixed audience when it comes to politics. So please listen to me when I say that my goal today is not to change your political affiliation.”

Cooper said she hoped the conversation between her and Harris would be treated the same as the conversations she had with her other guests.

How “Daddy Gang” reacted

The episode, titled “Vice President Kamala Harris,” sparked numerous reactions from fans of the podcast, also known as “Daddy Gang.” Some listeners criticized Cooper for delving into politics, while others defended the host.

“One of my favorite podcasts and now I'll never listen again,” Lexie Skipper, a contestant on the first season of the reality TV show “Love is Blind,” commented on a post previewing Cooper's interview with Harris. “Incredible.”

Another fan of the podcast, which focuses primarily on women's mental health, relationships, sex lives and sexuality, called the interview a “terrible career move” in an Instagram comment.

However, some fans praised the podcast host and defended her decision to interview the presidential candidate.

“Imagine being a woman who follows a woman who created a women's health/interest podcast and is upset that she is interviewing a woman who may become the first female president of the United States , lol,” another user commented.

What topics were discussed?

The two spoke about women's issues coming up in the 2024 election season.

The conversation ranged from sexual assault and abortion to statements by Republican politicians about women without children.

The presidential candidate used the interview to reiterate her stance on abortion rights and mocked the restrictions that have been put in place in many states since the Supreme Court's decision against Roe v. Wade were imposed.

“You don’t have to give up your faith or deeply held beliefs to agree. The government shouldn’t tell a woman what to do,” Harris said, referring to abortion. “If she wants to, she will talk to her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam, but not to the government, which tells you what to do, and that's the outrageous thing about it.”

Cooper also questioned how Harris deals with doubters and attacks on her character.

At first, Cooper debated whether or not to talk about border protection, fracking or the economy.

“But then I realized you could find out about all of these topics on any news site,” Cooper said. “And let’s be honest: I’m probably not the one leading the fracking conversation. But the conversation I know I’m qualified to have is about women’s bodies and how we are treated and valued in this country.”

Cooper and her team also invited Trump to discuss women's issues on the podcast, she said.

There are discussions about laws regarding men's bodies

Speaking about the country's abortion bans, Cooper Harris asked if there were similar laws affecting a man's body.

“No,” said Harris, who laughed.

Some users on X, formerly Twitter, used this exchange to draw attention to conscription as a law that affects men's bodies.

“The correct answer is: Yes, the draft,” said conservative talk show host Clay Travis.

Others countered by pointing out that the last compulsory military service was carried out 50 years ago.

“The question was whether to let men make their own health decisions for them,” said another X user, @DivinyPete. “And the answer is no.”

Helene recovery

Harris was also criticized online for choosing to appear on the podcast amid the disaster response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated the Southeast. However, the vice president was in North Carolina on Saturday and met with officials.

Harris met with Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles to discuss disaster relief. The vice president then met with families affected by the storm, which killed over 200 people and left thousands without drinking water, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting.

Featuring: Karissa Waddick, Rebecca Morin; USA TODAY

Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her LinkedInkeep following her X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]

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