The journalists trailing along with Kamala Harris on the campaign trail were awfully upbeat — giddy even — at the prospect of stepping into a vintage clothing boutique and encouraging the 2020 candidate to try on some “slaying lewks.”

We thought it was kind of weird for political reporters to be making wardrobe suggestions, but CNN’s Maeve Reston, for one, encouraged Harris to try on this number:

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

Brit Hume called out the whole affair as embarrassing, but Reston wants the public to know she has no regrets. Is her defense that the vintage rainbow sequin jacket was just so fly that it excuses the breaking of the boundary between reporter and PR person?

Dear America ?? – I will never apologize for encouraging a presidential candidate to try on a vintage rainbow sequin jacket ???‍♀️?✌️#2020 — Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) February 16, 2019

Will you apologize for all of the emoji in that tweet? What the hell does that string of icons mean, anyway? It looks like the sort of thing Chelsea Manning grew out of.

Sorry, Maeve…I saw the jacket. You really should apologize. — Squirrely wrath (@Yo_Squirrely) February 17, 2019

"journalism" — Iain McLaren ?? (@iainmclaren) February 17, 2019

Cutting edge journalism. Good job. — Danny Crow (@DannyCrow) February 17, 2019

Your job is to be an unbiased observer who reports facts. You are not her advisor, confident, fashion consultant or bestie. It is sad that you don’t understand why this calls your professionalism into question. — Troy Davis (@Davis1970T) February 17, 2019

The problem is that journalists have a disturbing recent history of covering Democratic candidates as heroes and GOP candidates as villains. A NYT reporter covering Clinton in 2016 was known for giving her standing ovations, and cried when she lost. Today feeds that perception. — Brian Riedl (@Brian_Riedl) February 17, 2019

Never heard of you. Now I know why. — Kevin Walsh (@KevinWalsh1956) February 17, 2019

Why should you? Unless you were supposed to be an unbiased reporter at the time, of course. — Mitzi (@MitziFetch) February 17, 2019

And America appreciates you showing your true colors. You aren’t news. You’re propaganda — Will (@Will_A_II) February 16, 2019

Just join her campaign already. — Don Strutz (@nightwing003) February 17, 2019

You're not her wardrobe stylist, you're a reporter. Would a male news reporter do this aside from Jim Acosta? — BoltMAGABot (@MagaBolt) February 16, 2019

Just don't call yourself a reporter. — LD (@LDreeniatnuom) February 17, 2019

Good Lord. Are you so lacking introspection you do not realize how insipid you looked? Like a star-struck teenager thrilled to be backstage with the band. Be better. #cnn #JournalismIsDead — KeithD??? (@Longin4Reagan) February 17, 2019

And we will not apologize for calling you #FakeNews — B/K (@bk00023) February 16, 2019

Very funny! — Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) February 16, 2019

We don’t think that was a joke.

You really don't have any inkling how unprofessional and biased this is? Wow. — DavetheWave (@WaveDavethe) February 16, 2019

It looks like you got that PR job you always wanted. — Peter Heyden (@Beerdrinkindawg) February 16, 2019

You are an embarrassment to your network. Actually, not sure if that is possible. — Randall Collins (@rpcarch) February 17, 2019

Fine. Do what you want. But you’re not a journalist. You’re a toadie. — C Kay (@Ckimoo) February 17, 2019

Thanks for properly framing how biased your coverage will be! — ParksDept (@parks_dept) February 17, 2019

So you are just determined to be terrible at your job? Might be a good time to learn to code. — Andy Bax (@blknaab) February 17, 2019

Dear Maeve, you will likely never be recognized as a respectable journalist either. — Epyc Terran (@GT13Dr) February 17, 2019

You should, It was hideous. Oh and you're not a journalist. — RocKitC0n ??? ?? (@KMoll13) February 17, 2019

This from the same network that takes issues with Xmas tree colors and decorations …. ?? — Never Better (@Nutsin1983) February 17, 2019

CNN is gunna CNN. — The American Dream (@Norsemen83) February 17, 2019

Don’t. But you might consider apologizing for being a crappy reporter and making yourself part of the story. — Midwest Deplorable (@Mdwstdeplorable) February 17, 2019

Oh! I didn't know you were hired as her Personal Shopper. I thought you were a reporter for CNN and were hired to report news. Silly me. — Sooo_NOTaFeminist (@OCDVirgo51) February 17, 2019

Professional shopper. Got it. Journalism dies in darkness. — j. barr (@Jbarrsantafe) February 17, 2019

Completely avoiding valid criticism and attacking an argument nobody made This is CNN — ☕️ (@KafeenRush) February 17, 2019

which makes you not much of a journalist…but we knew that… — Kyle Franklin (@frnklns4k) February 16, 2019