Harris campaign tells Muslim interviewer he can't ask about Gaza, she talks up bacon instead: 'Taken aback'The Muslim influencer was reportedly told the Israel-Gaza war was off-limits in the interview
By Yael Halon Fox News
Published November 4, 2024 8:10pm EST
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Kamala Harris' interview with a Muslim social media influencer never saw the light of day after the vice president refused to answer questions about Gaza but oddly gushed about bacon - a food religiously forbidden for Muslims.
Kareem Rahma, host of the popular "Subway Takes" which boasts almost a million combined followers on Instagram and TikTok, made the decision to scrap the interview with Harris, which was filmed over the summer, he told the New York Times.
Prior to the interview, Rahma was hoping to press Harris on policy, specifically the Biden administration's support for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which he opposes, per the Times. But, despite asking on three calls with her team and the Democratic National Committee, he was "rejected."
Instead, the campaign agreed that Harris would offer a "hot take" against people taking off their shoes on airplanes. The show's premise revolves around guests, some of them notable, defending an unpopular opinion or perspective.
"[Rahma] ultimately agreed to the terms, reasoning that he could choose not to publish the video if it made him uneasy," the New York Times story said.
But when Rahma sat down with Harris for the interview, she shared a different hot take, declaring that "bacon is a spice." Rahma and other observant Muslims do not eat pork in adherence with their faith.
"I don’t know," he reportedly pushed back in the unaired interview. The Times described him as "taken aback."
"Think about it, it’s pure flavor," she said, according to footage reviewed by the Times.
Rahma then reportedly paused the interview to tell her he doesn't eat pork, then attempted to redirect Harris to the agreed upon topic of taking off shoes mid-flight. But Harris doubled down with another food take, which the Times said was on the advice of a staffer, praising anchovies on pizza.
"Well," Rahma told Harris in the recording. "I’m 100% unsure on both of those."
US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Michigan State University's Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Michigan, on November 3, 2024.
US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Michigan State University's Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Michigan, on November 3, 2024. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Rahma ultimately chose not to air the interview, fearing that it would upset the Muslim community.
"He had been apprehensive about potential criticism from other Muslims, and the bacon talk had thrown him off," the Times reported.
"It was so complicated because I’m Muslim and there’s something going on in the world that 100 percent of Muslims care about," Rahma told the outlet. "And then they made it worse by talking about anchovies. Boring!"
Two senior Harris campaign officials told the Times that Rahma had been told about the bacon topic in advance but Rahma and his manager disputed this. Still, the campaign reportedly apologized for the bacon reference and offered to reshoot, per the Times, but Rahma made the decision not to move forward.
In August, Rahma aired a separate interview with Harris' running mate Tim Walz, who talked about gutter maintenance in an exchange that has since gone viral.
Harris, who has been faulted for largely avoiding the press in the early months of her candidacy, has a history of bungling interviews and media engagements. She has repeatedly come under fire for "word salads," a term coined by her critics that refers to redundant, oftentimes nonsensical statements she has made publicly throughout the election season.
What Is With Kamala? Geez!
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