Recently, Vice President Kamala Harris has been on a “media blitz,” primarily engaging with friendly news sources, talk shows, and podcasts—though she’s surprisingly struggled even in those settings.

This week, however, she’s set to make waves by participating in her first sit-down interview with Fox News. The discussion is scheduled for Wednesday with anchor Bret Baier.

Baier has made it clear that he won’t be soft on Harris during their discussion, stating that the interview will only be edited for “timing” and that “no topic is off the table.”

This sounds intriguing.

It’s commendable that Harris is willing to speak with a network often avoided by her more progressive supporters, and one that may pose challenging questions.

Why is Harris doing this interview? Could it be a move to demonstrate her eagerness to connect with Republicans who are weary of Trump? She has mentioned the possibility of including a Republican in her Cabinet if elected, and she has made a number of changes to her previously strong progressive policies, which might be leaving many confused.

However, I contend that the reason behind the Fox News appearance is rooted in something else entirely.

She’s anxious.

Harris’ popularity is plummeting

Similar to those of us watching the presidential contest, Harris has likely noticed recent polls that reveal her and former President Trump are virtually tied. Additionally, Trump has made gains in key states such as Michigan.

Moreover, Harris’ popularity is taking a hit. A recent NBC News survey indicated a notable decline in her approval ratings since September. Although her numbers improved temporarily after she took her boss’s spot on the ticket this summer, it seems her initial surge is fading.

The poll revealed that her positive rating slid from 48% to 43%, while her negative rating climbed from 45% to 49%, resulting in a net shift from +3 to -6.

This isn’t the trajectory any candidate desires so close to the election.

It’s very possible that Harris’ recent media appearances are simply reminding voters why they previously had reservations about her.

Nevertheless, she’s determined to reach as many audiences as possible—thus her decision to go on Fox News. She needs the support of moderate conservatives and independents, and time is quickly running out.

Harris’ Fox News interview might backfire

There’s a real chance that this interview could further damage her approval ratings.

Just look at her recent media engagements, even with more accommodating interviewers.

For example, during her media tour last week, Harris visited ABC’s “The View,” hosted by some of her enthusiastic supporters.

However, she struggled to respond to even a simple question posed by one of the hosts: “If you could do anything differently than President Biden over the past four years, would you?”

Her response left much to be desired: “There is not a thing that comes to mind.”

This is hard to believe, considering she knows it’s crucial to distinguish herself from President Joe Biden in the eyes of voters.

Later that same day, she appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where she again was caught off guard by a similar question. Colbert inquired about the “major changes” we could expect with a Harris presidency compared to Biden’s. All she could offer was:

“Well, I mean, I’m obviously not Joe Biden, and so that would be one change.”

This provided an easy opportunity for the Trump campaign, eager to connect her directly to the failures of the current Biden-Harris administration.

Recently, there was a controversy known as “editing-gate” after Vice President Harris appeared on CBS News’ “60 Minutes.”