Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign decided against her appearing on Joe Rogan's podcast due to concerns of backlash from the progressive faction within the Democratic Party. Jennifer Palmieri, a senior adviser, confirmed the apprehension stemmed from how the interview might be perceived by the party, especially since Rogan's audience includes many young male voters. The campaign reportedly requested to avoid discussing marijuana legalization, a topic linked to Harris's controversial prosecutorial history. Rogan revealed that the campaign also wanted editorial control and only a one-hour interview outside his studio, requests he declined. Many Democrats believe skipping the podcast, especially after Donald Trump's successful appearance, was a strategic error that may have cost Harris support among key voter demographics. Critics, including Bernie Sanders, have urged Democrats to better engage with alternative media platforms like Rogan's to reach wider audiences.