(Bloomberg) -- Programs dishing dating advice, personal finance tips and digging into pop culture are scoring interviews with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as the presidential contenders go all-in on podcasts.
The candidates are sitting with its biggest stars, including venture capital icons and social media influencers, to reach voters who might ignore more traditional media in a deadlocked race with a month until Election Day.
Podcasts have gone mainstream with popular hosts securing large deals and boasting sizable audiences. More Americans than ever listen to podcasts, according to Edison Research, which estimates that nearly half of the US population over age 12 tunes in every month.
On Sunday, podcaster Alex Cooper released an episode of her show Call Her Daddy with Harris, welcoming the vice president to a racy forum for self-help and dating advice that has a massive following of women listeners, while Trump recently sat with personal-finance guru Dave Ramsey.
Martha McKenna, a Democratic media strategist, said podcasts are an opportunity for candidates to better share their personalities in informal settings outside traditional news interviews, reaching “people who likely will vote, but who are not seeking out political information.”
It’s a different way for candidates to break through, said Republican digital strategist Tyler Brown.
“At a certain point, voters are going to be attracted to the type of person beyond just the policy issues,” Brown said.
Podcast Blitz
Cooper, 30, said she wrestled with discussing politics on her show, insisting that “my goal today is not to change your political affiliation.” The 40-minute discussion focused on women’s empowerment and abortion rights. Harris expounded on topics like sexual violence and religion that intersect with abortion but don’t always find room in campaign speeches.
Harris’ campaign cast Call Her Daddy as an ideal platform to discuss abortion access, an issue Democrats are highlighting to turn out young women.
Call Her Daddy was the fourth-most popular podcast in the second quarter of the year among weekly listeners 13 and older, according to Edison Research. Sirius XM Holdings Inc. signed a multiyear deal for Cooper’s podcast and network of shows in August. Her show was pegged as having more than 4 million followers earlier this year.
Earlier: ‘Call Her Daddy’ Host Signs $100 Million Deal With SiriusXM
Trump on Ramsey’s podcast focused on one of his top issues: inflation. The former president has appeared on podcasts with comedian Theo Von, who hosts the ninth-ranked podcast, the All-In podcast with venture capitalists David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya and Jason Calacanis, influencer Logan Paul’s podcast and a livestream with video-gamer Adin Ross.
In a podcast with computer scientist Lex Fridman that was released in September, Trump signaled support for marijuana legalization in Florida, marking a major policy shift for the Republican.
“Engaging with podcasters, comedians, and influencers allows people to see a humanizing side of President Trump,” said Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump campaign adviser.
‘More Risky’
Candidate have drawn scrutiny from critics who say podcasts lack rigor. Republicans in particular have accused Harris of shying from tough interviews.
Harris’ Call Her Daddy interview is part of a media blitz in with coming appearances on ABC’s The View, The Howard Stern Show, and CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
“The contrast is more risky for Harris,” Brown said of her podcasts. “It probably puts more of a spotlight on her lack of interviews in other environments.”
According to Harris’ office, she has participated in more than two dozen podcast interviews as vice president, including NPR Politics, The Run-Up and Next Question with Katie Couric.
“She understands that Americans receive their information in many different ways, and it is important to reach them via their trusted sources,” said Ernesto Apreza, the vice president’s press secretary.
Harris in March hosted a group of major podcasters at her residence, according to a person familiar with the gathering who requested anonymity to detail the meeting.
A November gathering included Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, the hosts of Earn Your Leisure, a show about financial empowerment. They would join Harris for a conversation in April used for their program.
Like Trump, Harris’ podcasting decisions have been made with an eye to amplifying her message. A September episode of All the Smoke, a podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, saw Harris detail her stance on marijuana legalization while also sharing her Golden State Warriors’ fandom.
Highlighting the industry’s influence, controversial comedian Joe Rogan, who hosts the most-listened-to US podcast, drew criticism from Trump for once complimenting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Harris and her team won praise from Rogan for her debate performance against Trump.
“She’s nailing it,” Rogan said.
--With assistance from Jennifer Epstein.
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