Former Obama adviser David Axelrod argued Vice President Kamala Harris’ “Saturday Night Live” appearance was a “great thing to do” despite being a risk.
Axelrod commented on her appearance on the long-running NBC comedy skit show just days before the election.
“You know, it’s a risk because you could go out there, and you could bomb and that‘s not good. But that was a really funny little skit. But the best part about it, she seemed very relaxed, she seemed human, and she got to show a little self-effacing humor which is also winning in a politician. They took a little bit of a risk in doing it, and they diverted the schedule a little bit. I think it was a great thing to do in the final weekend,” Axelrod said on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”
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Harris appeared as the “mirror image” of herself on Saturday night, opposite the SNL character of her portrayed by Maya Rudolph, at the end of the cold open that poked fun at former President Trump wearing a sanitation vest at a rally this week, as well as President Biden’s repeated gaffes.
Rudolph’s Harris wondered, “I wish I could talk to someone who’s been in my shoes. You know, a Black, south Asian woman running for president. Preferably from the Bay Area.”
Harris then was revealed to be sitting across the table from her, leading to huge cheers from the audience. Harris grinned and said, “You and me both, sister.”
Though Axelrod enjoyed the spot, Harris was blasted on social media, and many accused the show of violating the Federal Communications Commission’s Equal Time rule.
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“The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct – a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election,” FCC member Brendan Carr tweeted after news Harris would appear on the show broke.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich that SNL did not extend an invitation to Trump. She added that executive producer Lorne Michaels said just last month that he didn’t have plans to invite either candidate.
SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels previously told the Hollywood Reporter last month it would be unlikely for Trump or Harris to appear for the show’s milestone 50th anniversary season, citing the need for “equal time” for both of them.
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“You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions,” Michaels said. “You can’t have the main candidates without having all the candidates, and there are lots of minor candidates that are only on the ballot in, like, three states and that becomes really complicated.”
