Pundits and media members debated tweets from several reporters covering a shopping trip Saturday by Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice First presidential debate to cover coronavirus, Supreme Court Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (D-Calif.) while she campaigned in South Carolina.

Twitter users, including some conservative pundits, questioned why journalists appeared in video clips to be urging Harris to select a certain item of clothing during the outing.

Harris tried on a colored sequined jacket in the store and the Democratic presidential candidate later bought the garment, according to reporters traveling with her campaign.

We kind of forced @kamalaharris to try on this awesome oversized rainbow sequin jacket ... She snapped it up. @alivitali perfectly named it as “the Mardi Gras Jacket” #2020 #SouthCarolina #CampaignFashionReport pic.twitter.com/2G0NFRkKL6 — Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) February 16, 2019

Update: she bought the jacket — Ali Vitali (@alivitali) February 16, 2019

Fox News political analyst Brit Hume called reporters' tweets about the shopping trip "embarrassing," while questioning why journalists were apparently helping the senator pick out clothes before writing "glowing tweets" about it.

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"This is just embarrassing. So now journalists are going shopping with Harris, helping pick out clothes and then putting out glowing tweets about it," Hume wrote.

This is just embarrassing. So now journalists are going shopping with Harris, helping pick out clothes and then putting out glowing tweets about it. https://t.co/RX2IY0B8JL — Brit Hume (@brithume) February 16, 2019

Other media members, pundits and Twitter users piled on, questioning the reasons for covering the event and seemingly urging Harris to try on garments.

This is a CBS reporter noting, without evident disapproval, that a CNN colleague is helping dress a Democratic candidate she's supposed to be covering. https://t.co/qa7GgZbs1P — James Taranto (@jamestaranto) February 16, 2019

I’m a fan of yours, but this isn’t good Maeve. It doesn’t strike me as sober, objective journalism. — Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) February 16, 2019

“Democracy dies in darkness” or in this case a boutique store #Journalism — Adam Kleinfeld (@Ajkleinfeld) February 16, 2019

Caitlin Huey-Burns, a CBS News reporter covering Harris's campaign, responded to critics, noting that reporters asked the candidate policy questions at other stops during the day.

"Harris was on an a tour of small businesses, including this boutique, in Columbia that we were covering as part of several campaign stops," she tweeted in response to Hume.

"She also did two gaggles with reporters, where we asked her a variety of policy questions on immigration, the green new deal, and executive power."

Hi @brithume. Harris was on an a tour of small businesses, including this boutique, in Columbia that we were covering as part of several campaign stops. — Caitlin Huey-Burns (@CHueyBurns) February 16, 2019

These Harris stops have had a lot of levity (as you can tell from photos) but there’s also a strong component of community activism & female business owners overcoming hardship to succeed. #scprimary — Ali Vitali (@alivitali) February 16, 2019

Several journalists and media analysts defended the coverage Saturday, pointing out that the event was part of Harris's tour of small businesses in Columbia, S.C.

They also noted that candidates have at times in the past had more casual interactions with journalists who cover them on the campaign trail for lengthy periods of time.

"Nobody seemed to have a problem when the candidate was @ScottWalker and the activity was motorcycle riding. Or @MittRomney riding jet skis on vacation. Or skeet shooting with @LindseyGrahamSC. I’m all for female candidates expanding the list of campaign activities," wrote NBC News's Kasie Hunt.

Nobody seemed to have a problem when the candidate was @ScottWalker and the activity was motorcycle riding



Or @MittRomney riding jet skis on vacation



Or skeet shooting with @LindseyGrahamSC



I’m all for female candidates expanding the list of campaign activities https://t.co/KgIgxnNW5x — Kasie Hunt (@kasie) February 16, 2019

"Reminds me of the glowing tweets that I put out back in the day as Scott Walker hailed cheese popcorn & Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Pence adviser knocks ex-staffer who criticized Trump on COVID-19 MORE praised grilled cheese sandwiches," added NBC News reporter Vaughn Hillyard.

Reminds me of the glowing tweets that I put out back in the day as Scott Walker hailed cheese popcorn & Mike Pence praised grilled cheese sandwiches (*candidates are humans*): https://t.co/69CYZtDMED + https://t.co/mB5YazLE9L — Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) February 16, 2019

Hume maintained that the latest incident "wasn’t coverage, it was participation."

Talk about missing the point. Did journalists help Walker pick out his motorcycle, then gush about it on Twitter? Did they they help Romney on with his life jacket? That Kamala Harris shopping incident wasn’t coverage, it was participation. https://t.co/tjg7OqJ7uu — Brit Hume (@brithume) February 16, 2019

Harris is campaigning this weekend in South Carolina, home to the third contest of the 2020 Democratic primary and an increasingly important early voting state.

Her campaign stops Saturday came on the heels of several endorsements this week from Reps. Barbara Lee Barbara Jean LeeOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Democrats call for investigation into Pentagon redirecting COVID-19 funds Steph, Ayesha Curry to be recognized by the Congressional Hunger Center MORE (D-Calif.) and Ted Lieu Ted W. LieuThe spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Larry Kudlow defends response to coronavirus: Trump 'led wisely' Lieu on Trump 'playing it down' on coronavirus: 'This is reckless homicide' MORE (D-Calif.), as well as California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), among others.