Vice President Kamala Harris expressed deep emotion after seeing a photo of her young grandniece, in pigtails, watching her speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week. Although Harris hasn’t made it a focus, she stated her intention to run for president to represent “all Americans,” the image symbolized the potential historic nature of her candidacy. “It’s very humbling. Very humbling in many ways,” she said in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash.
During this interview, the first she gave alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Walz also mentioned his son Gus’s emotional reaction to his convention speech. “Our politics can be better. It can be different. We can show some of these things, and we can have families involved in this,” Walz said. He added, “I hope people felt that out there, and I hope that they hugged their kids a little tighter because you never know. Life can be kind of hard.”
Harris discussed how her positions on several issues, including fracking and border security, have evolved since her initial presidential run in 2019. She also offered a glimpse into how she plans to explain these changes to voters during her debate with former President Donald Trump and as the campaign continues. “My values have not changed,” she emphasized.
She also aimed to frame the 2024 race as an opportunity for the American people to choose “a new way forward,” moving beyond a political era dominated by Trump. Harris’ campaign has been described as one of optimism, contrasting with the former president’s darker rhetoric that often portrays political opponents, the media, and others as adversaries. Harris and Trump are both preparing for their first debate on September 10, to be aired on ABC.
Clarifying Position on Fracking
In 2019, Harris, as a presidential candidate, opposed fracking, a stance that could have negatively affected her in Pennsylvania, where fracking is a significant employer. Now, she says she supports it. “As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking,” Harris stated. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a method of extracting natural gas from shale rock. While progressives have opposed fracking due to environmental concerns, the Inflation Reduction Act, a $750 billion bill focused on health care, taxes, and climate change, has led to both an expansion of fracking and growth in clean energy efforts in the U.S. Harris clarified that she had already revised her stance on fracking by 2020, stating during the vice-presidential debate that Biden “will not end fracking.”
“I have not changed that position, nor will I going forward,” she reiterated. Harris pointed to the Biden administration’s actions to foster growth in clean energy, saying, “What I have seen is that we can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.”
Consideration of a Republican in the Cabinet
When asked if she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet, Harris responded, “Yes, I would.” However, she did not provide specific names or potential roles. “No one in particular,” she noted. “We have 68 days to go in this election, so I’m not putting the cart before the horse. But I would.” Harris has emphasized the importance of diverse opinions in decision-making processes. “I have spent my career inviting diversity of opinion,” she explained, suggesting it could benefit the American public to have a Republican in her Cabinet.
Ignoring Trump’s Identity Politics
Harris mostly avoided addressing Donald Trump’s remarks about her racial and gender identity. Trump recently questioned her racial identity at a conference, insinuating that she had previously identified as South Asian but “happened to turn Black” for political reasons. Harris dismissed this, calling it part of Trump’s “same old tired playbook.” When pressed for further comment, she simply said, “Next question, please,” indicating her campaign’s strategy to avoid engaging with such attacks.
A Pivotal Phone Call
On the morning of July 21, Vice President Harris was at home making breakfast for visiting relatives and doing a puzzle with her nieces when she received a phone call from President Joe Biden. “It was Joe Biden, and he told me what he had decided to do,” Harris said. The call signaled Biden’s decision to end his re-election bid and endorse Harris to lead the Democratic ticket. Harris was initially more concerned about the impact on Biden, who had faced calls for resignation following a challenging debate performance. “I asked him, ‘Are you sure?’ and he said ‘Yes,’” Harris recalled.
Harris praised Biden’s presidency as “transformative” and described his decision to withdraw as reflective of his character, depicting him as “quite selfless and puts the American people first.” She also defended the administration’s achievements, including investments in infrastructure and efforts to reduce drug costs and strengthen international alliances. “I am so proud to have served as Vice President to Joe Biden,” she added.
Border Security and Criticism of Trump
Harris responded to Trump’s critiques of the Biden administration’s border policies by attributing much of the blame to Trump. She highlighted his opposition to a bipartisan border security bill that would have added 1,500 agents to the border. “He told his folks in Congress, don’t put it forward. He killed the bill — a border security bill,” she said. Harris vowed that if elected president, she would ensure such a bill reached her desk and would sign it. She also clarified her stance against decriminalizing illegal border crossings, a reversal from her 2019 position, stating, “We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that deal with people who cross our border illegally, and there should be consequences.”
Walz Reflects on Past Mistakes
Governor Walz also addressed his past misstatements, including a 2018 video where he inaccurately referenced carrying “weapons of war” during his military service, despite never being in a combat zone. He admitted to misspeaking, adding, “My wife, the English teacher, told me my grammar’s not always correct.” He also corrected a claim about using in vitro fertilization, clarifying it was another form of fertility treatment. “I certainly own my mistakes when I make them,” he stated.
Walz emphasized his commitment to civility, contrasting his approach with that of his Republican opponent, Ohio Senator JD Vance, who had made inflammatory comments about Harris. Walz stated he would not insult Republicans, highlighting the contrasting tones of their campaigns as they prepare for their October 1 debate hosted by CBS.
Looking Beyond the Trump Era
Harris acknowledged questions about why her proposed policies haven’t been implemented during her time as vice president, explaining that she was “talking about an era that started about a decade ago,” referring to Trump’s emergence in politics. She argued that leadership should be about uplifting people, not “who you beat down.” Harris concluded, “That’s what’s at stake, as much as any other detail that we could discuss, in this election.”