In an era of disinformation and agendas, CNN’s Trump Correspondent for the 2024 presidential campaign, Kristen Holmes, maintains the true value of what it means to be a reporter. By emphasizing the importance of seeking out the truth, she allows people to form their own opinions.
Through a persistently keen interest in the human and strategic aspects of politics, Holmes knew she wanted to be a journalist. Following in her mom’s footsteps, who was a writer for the Washington Post, Holmes pursued an undergraduate and graduate education in journalism.
By luck of fate, she found herself in an elevator with the executive producer of CNN’s “Piers Morgan Live” and his son following a career fair. He introduced himself and told her to get in touch with him.
This led to an internship in New York for “Piers Morgan” that parlayed itself into a producer job. Holmes then found her way to Washington, D.C., where her family lives, and has been with CNN and in D.C. ever since.
At CNN Holmes was traveling the world, covering events from the Royal Wedding to nuclear threats in Guam. She then shifted to the domestic side of CNN, covering COVID-19 throughout the 2020 election. In 2022, she sought to cover the Republican party after Donald Trump because it was not evident that there would be a resurgence for Trump within the party.
“I became the Trump correspondent this campaign cycle all because of an elevator,” Holmes said.
As a reporter during a time when disinformation and political polarization are rampant, Holmes does not succumb to the pressure of a fast-paced environment. Despite the ongoing flow of information being released, Holmes prioritizes factual information above all else.
“I believe it’s better to be second or third and have it right,” Holmes explained. “Whether or not that’s two sources or three sources or four sources, you need to make sure that going into whatever story you’re going to publish, you have, you yourself, the journalist have a full picture of what this looks like.”
The nature of this election truly is unprecedented, with Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent rise to the top of the ticket following President Joe Biden’s not seeking reelection and the enthusiasm from Democrats surrounding her campaign.
“This is just unlike anything we’ve ever seen before and it comes at a time where our country is so divided,” Holmes stated.
Since the change in the Democratic nominee, former President Donald Trump’s campaign has worked on getting Trump to stay on message as well as holding smaller events to focus on one particular issue. However, the atmosphere at his rallies has stayed relatively the same with recent challenges grabbing headlines.
“After the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Holmes said. “It’s a lot more enthusiasm, a lot more energy for the former President than I had seen in a while.”
Furthermore, there is enthusiasm felt on both the Democratic and Republican sides for this upcoming election, but the constant barrage of information has proven precarious for all involved. For instance, Springfield, Ohio has faced bomb threats following the misinformation about Haitian migrants.
“I think one of the most challenging things about covering politics in America right now is how divided the country is and how polarized it is politically,” Holmes said. “There are groups of people who fundamentally believe that some of the conspiracies that have floated out there are true, and then there are also people who don’t.”
Reporters like Holmes have to combat disinformation when the public’s interest is captured by click-driven news. They also have to counteract the surplus of attention garnered by more grandiose claims.
“For us [at CNN] the most important thing is getting the facts right,” Holmes stated. “So if there is a claim that a candidate is making about whatever, it is our job to go to Springfield, Ohio, and talk to people on the ground, including public officials, to get the facts on what is happening before we put out any sort of reporting.”
Due to the shocking nature of various claims throughout this presidential election campaign, coverage from news outlets is crucial in conveying the truth to the American public.
“You can’t stop a candidate from saying something, and you should cover it if they’re saying it,” Holmes noted. “You have to go beyond just reporting that they’re saying it, but also doing the groundwork to show what the truth actually is.”
Due to the polarization of political parties, there are always different ways to interpret new precedents being set. Recently, the Teamsters, one of America’s largest union organizations, chose not to endorse a presidential candidate. This is a break from precedent, as most unions, including the Teamsters, endorsed Democratic candidates in the past.
“This leaves a lot of the unions in a tough position because they have traditionally endorsed a Democratic candidate. But clearly, as we saw with the Teamsters, it’s hard to endorse a Democratic candidate if your rank and file members are in favor of the Republican candidate,” Holmes commented.
Some unions with Republican supporting rank and file members have come out to announce they are planning back Harris. However, there are still unknowns regarding how this decision will affect other unions going forward.
“I can tell you that if you talk to Republicans in Pennsylvania, which I did today, they say that it could hurt Harris in Pennsylvania, where there are a lot of labor unions and a big Teamsters presence. If you talk to some of the Harris folks, they’ll point to how individual chapters of the Teamsters have come out for Kamala Harris, so it shouldn’t be that big of a deal,” Holmes explained.
Through the different lenses of interpreting what is happening politically and the motivations of representatives, there can be various explanations for every situation. With rampant disinformation circulating the media, it is the job of journalists and reporters to explain what is happening factually.
“It’s not my job to tell you what’s important or not, because what’s important to me might not be important to you,” Holmes states. “What my job is, is to explain to you what is out there and what each side is saying about it and what we know to be the fundamental truth of what is out there, and then just let you make your own decision.”
For a reporter as diligent as Holmes in what they share with the public, the job is not easy but it is extremely rewarding. Holmes’s typical day as a campaign reporter at this point in the cycle consists of a tremendous amount of time, energy and ambition.
Holmes starts most mornings around 4 a.m. so she can catch a 6 a.m. flight to wherever the candidate will be that day. She spends the day staying in touch with her contacts, so she knows the best places and times to report on the ground throughout the day.
“You’re going to be in these areas for hours and talking to as many people as possible, talking to sources within the campaign, trying to figure out what the candidate is doing, have they done anything differently, what are their internal poll sayings, conversations so that you’re well versed” Holmes explains.
After researching, reporting on the ground, and eating whatever snacks they got at the grocery throughout the day, Holmes and her team head to a hotel near the airport around 8:30 p.m.. Despite the tireless schedule and constant engagement with new people, Holmes is vigilant at 4 a.m. the next morning to do it all over again.
“This is my dream job. The thing that I find to be exciting is getting a pulse on America,” Holmes added. “Outside of my friends and family, and place of work and meeting people where they live and seeing what they care about as we head into November.”
Despite a hectic and always full schedule, Holmes is still able to be a loving mom and wife. Although her son, who is still a toddler, does not understand the work she does now, he one day will.
“Right now I think he mostly just thinks that I’m gone, but he’ll get a present when I come back because he always gets a present when I come back,” Holmes explained.
To have the stamina, drive, and welcoming presence Holmes has as a reporter is something many people strive for but few achieve. She is inspirational not only in the work she does but in the manner and passion with which she does it.
