Harris dismisses critiques of her perceived 'prepared' approach in an extensive conversation with Charlamagne tha God
"That'd be labeled as discipline," Harris stated, emphasizing that "specific points need to be repeated to ensure everyone comprehends my stance."
On a campaign tour in Michigan, focusing on the significant contribution of Black male voters to her coalition, Harris countered allegations of detachment from the Black community. She staunchly criticized her adversary, former President Donald Trump, labeling his campaign as feeding on fear and aligning with the radio host's view that it embodies "fascism."
"Voting in this election presents you with two options, or the choice not to vote at all, but the options are distinct, depicting two contrasting visions for our nation," Harris explained, often warning of a potential second term for Trump, which she believes would "regress us."
However, Charlamagne Tha God, co-host of "The Breakfast Club" radio show, urged Harris to be more explicit.
"It's indeed about fascism," he said. "Why can't we just say it?"
"We certainly can say that," Harris agreed.
During the hour-long, town hall-style interview, Harris labeled the upcoming election as a "margin-of-error race" and outlined her new policies aimed at appealing to Black men, while also discussing her economic agenda, health care proposals, and plans to promote the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill aimed at curbing police brutality which has faced setbacks in Congress.
Defending her tenure as San Francisco district attorney, Harris positioned herself as "one of the most progressive prosecutors" in marijuana-related cases. Should she secure election, she declared her intention to pursue federal decriminalization.
In response to queries regarding her engagement with the Black community and the Black church particularly, Harris dismissed allegations as falsehoods spread by the "Trump team."
"They peddle misinformation and disinformation to disconnect me from my associates and my roots. If they couldn't validate themselves based on their own merits, they choose to distort my identity," Harris asserted.
Harris berated Trump for his promise at a rally in Aurora, Colorado, to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to accelerate the removal of undocumented gang members.
"Trump is running a campaign anchored on fear, not hope, not optimism, but fear," Harris said.
The previous evening, during her campaign trail in Pennsylvania, she screened clips of Trump calling his political adversaries the "enemy within," characterizing it as proof of Trump's "increasing instability and unhinged behavior."
In her interview on Tuesday, Harris cited Trump's false claim about Haitian immigrant population in Springfield, Ohio, which sparked backlash, causing the cancellation of a cultural diversity celebration and prompting a response from Republican governor Mike DeWine and local officials.
"He insinuated that these legal immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were consuming their pets," Harris said.
Despite being challenged with fact-checks and a rebuke from DeWine and local officials, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, repeated the false claim.
Harris attributed it to a ploy to divert attention from Trump's successful sabotage of a bipartisan border deal on Capitol Hill earlier this year.
"The hypocrisy knows no bounds, as some of the most conservative members of the US Congress, in conjunction with others, crafted a border security bill, which was the toughest in decades," she said.
"He chooses to focus on a problem instead of resolving one. And we must call out this charade and recognize it for what it truly is," Harris concluded.
Following the interview, Harris paid a visit to a watch party at CRED Café, a coffee shop and event space owned by former NBA players Joe and Jordan Crawford, where she thanked attendees and encouraged them to vote.
"Early voting starts in four days in Michigan, and Detroit will play a significant role in delivering Michigan," Harris said. "Michigan will help us win."
Earlier in the day, she visited the Black-owned Norwest Art Gallery, where she participated in a conversation with Black men centered on entrepreneurship, joined by actors Don Cheadle, Delroy Lindo, and Detroit native Cornelius Smith Jr.
In the context of her campaign, Kamala Harris addressed the concerns of Charlamagne Tha God and clarified, "We certainly can say that Trump's campaign embodies fascism." Later, discussing her stance on police brutality, Harris highlighted her plans to promote the "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act," aimed at curbing such incidents.
