The 19 must-see lines from Kamala Harris' NBC interview
Here we go.
With the election now less than 2 weeks away, Vice President Kamala Harris has broken her previous silence — and is now talking a lot more to the media.
Her latest interview was with NBC’s Hallie Jackson on Tuesday. NBC released the full and unedited transcript of the interview — good on them! — and I went through it line by line.
Below are the lines you need to see.
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To the Lines!
“First of all, let me be very clear, mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration.”
This is legit the FIRST thing she said in the interview. In case you had ANY question that separating from Biden is critical from a strategic standpoint, this should clear it up.
“And, you know, the idea of the American dream was something that previous generations could count on, not as much anymore”
“The American dream is dead.” — Donald Trump
“And I’m proud to report to you that economists from Nobel laureates to Goldman Sachs have reviewed my economic plan versus Donald Trump’s, and in comparison, have found that my plans will strengthen America’s economy, his plans will weaken America’s economy.”
“More than half of the living US recipients of the Nobel Prize for economics signed a letter that called Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic agenda “vastly superior” to the plans laid out by former President Donald Trump.” — CNN, today
“Absolutely, absolutely. And I am seeing that in terms of every walk of life of our country. You know I think part of what is important in this election is really not only turning the page, but closing the page and the chapter on an era that suggests that Americans are divided.”
The question Jackson asked Harris was whether America is ready to elect a woman of color as president. I am, um, slightly more skeptical about America’s open-mindedness on that front than Harris. Also, “closing the page” made me laugh.
“What I know from personal experience, from lived experience, and from my travels, even most recently, the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.”
So, I absolutely believe this to be true. But I am not sure I am in the majority.
“And what the American people want in their president is a president for all Americans, which is the type and kind of president I pledge to be.”
Again: I WANT this to be true. I am just not sure it is.
“Well, I’m clearly a woman, [laughs] I don’t need to point that out to anyone. The point that most people really care about is, can you do the job, and do you have a plan to actually focus on them?”
The question was why Harris has been reluctant to lean into her historic status — as the first black woman and first South Asian woman to be a major party presidential nominee. The truth, I think, is that Harris doesn’t want to make her race or gender as a central part of her campaign for fear it might keep some people (read: white men) from voting for her. (This was also a strategy that Barack Obama followed.)
“I think that’s part of why people are exhausted with Donald Trump and his approach, because it’s all about himself and his personal grievances, and not about the American people, not about how are you going to help families, how are you going to help small businesses, how are you going to strengthen our economy?”
This message — Donald Trump is exhausting —is, I think, a good one. Even people who were happy with the four years of the Trump presidency in terms of policy were tired of the chaos that he created. If there is a message that might reach undecided Republicans, I think this is it.
“I don’t think of it that way. My challenge is the challenge of making sure I can talk with and listen to as many voters as possible and earn their vote.”
Jackson asked Harris here whether sexism was part of the election. I would argue that, at least for some people, it absolutely is. I mean, there is a reason we have never had a female president! But, Harris isn’t going to say that — for fear of people thinking she is playing the victim card.
“Well, first of all, look at what has happened since the Dobbs decision came down, a decision that is a direct result of the fact that Donald Trump hand selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention they would undo the protections of Roe. They did as he intended. And now in 20 states, we have Trump abortion bans, which some make no exceptions for rape or incest.”
It’s my belief that Harris needs to say this exact thing morning, noon and night between now and the election. She and her team seem to have settled on a “Trump is unhinged and a danger to democracy” message as their closing argument. I think they would be far better served to put abortion — and the Dobbs ruling — in front of undecided voters at every chance they get.
“I believe that people, as the law states, even on this issue about federal law, that that is a decision that doctors will make in terms of what is medically necessary.”
Harris’ answer here on whether she supports transgender people having access to gender-affirming care is not great. Lot of words. Not much said.
“This is a person, Donald Trump, who tried to undo the, a free and fair election, who still denies the will of the people, who incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol and 140 law enforcement officers were attacked. Some who were killed. This is a serious matter.”
She’s not wrong.
“Donald Trump has said he would terminate the Constitution of the United States.”
Here’s exactly what he said: “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”
“The choice before the American people is the choice to choose to turn the page on the division and the hate and to bring our country together knowing the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.”
Two things: 1) I continue to believe it’s very hard for Harris to make the case that the last four years never happened and we need to “turn the page” on Trump. I mean, she was the vice president of the United States! 2) I do not think that if Harris wins, we will be “turning the page on “the division and the hate.” I wish I did! But I do not.
“Let me tell you what the Customs and Border Patrol agents need, what the immigration system needs, is it needs to be fixed, and it needs to be fixed in a number of ways that include bringing forth a bill that conservative members of Congress, along with others, pulled together, that we supported actively, that would put 1500 more border agents at the border.”
I totally get the argument Harris is making — that the bipartisan border bill that came out of Congress and which she and Biden supported would have addressed the problems on the border. And that Trump helped to kill that legislation. All true! But, I also think it’s a very tough argument to sell — because, well, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been the president and vice president for the last four years.
“Joe Biden is an — extremely accomplished, experienced and capable in every way that anyone would want if they’re president. Absolutely.”
The question Harris was asked was whether she ever saw signs of Biden’s mental or physical decline. And this is, um, not an answer to that question.
“It was a bad debate. People have bad debates.”
But, it wasn’t just a bad debate! We know this! There has been scads of reporting that lots of people — inside and outside the administration — had observed Biden’s slowing and struggles well before the debate. Suggesting that the entirety of questions about Biden’s age and competence are based on one debate is totally misleading.
“I am running for President of the United States. Joe Biden is not, and my presidency will be about bringing a new generation of leadership to America that is focused on the work that we need to do, to invest in the ambitions and aspirations of the American people.”
Once more for the people in the back: Kamala Harris ≠ Joe Biden. She needs to keep saying this. Loudly.
“I have worked with Joe Biden, whether — hours and hours and hours over these four years, whether it be in the Situation Room or the Oval Office.”
To be clear: Harris is saying she NEVER saw ANY signs that Biden’s age was catching up with him. It’s, obviously, impossible for me to prove her wrong. But I am very skeptical of that. Yeah, this feels like a good place to end.
I noticed that Kamala never once mentioned....
1) Her admiration for Hitler
2) That her political rival was a sh*t president
3) That she can grab a guy by the balls anytime she wants because she's a star and they let you do it
She kind of seems....normal!
I know what you are saying about Harris’s claim about not seeing any cognitive impairment in Joe Biden and agree. However, it’s a fine line for her, IMO. Biden is still her boss, still,the sitting president and she’s not going to demean him in any way.