- If elected, Kamala Harris expresses her intent to include Republicans in her cabinet.
Kamala Harris sits at a simple table in the American city of Savannah, Georgia - yet despite the modest surroundings, all eyes are on her. The Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency, following her nomination, defended the achievements of President Joe Biden's administration during her first TV interview and called for a political reboot. "In my opinion, what the American people need is a fresh start and a different path from the last decade," she said.
Minor blunders were absent during the nearly hour-long interview with CNN. However, the 59-year-old also missed some chances to gain points. Her rival for the presidency on November 5, Donald Trump, reacted with a single word on his platform Truth Social: "Boring."
The joint interview with her running mate Tim Walz served as a test for the Democrat. Recorded during a campaign tour in Georgia and aired shortly after, Harris failed to make a strong entrance. Journalist Dana Bash asked Harris about her plans for her first day in office. Harris was vague, responding that she wanted to strengthen the middle class.
Kamala Harris Defends Policy Shifts
Harris had to explain why she had changed her stance on certain issues during the conversation, such as fracking. Harris once opposed extraction of natural gas through fracking but now claims, "I won't ban fracking." This is one of the issues Trump repeatedly attacks Harris on, along with immigration. Harris also had to defend her performance as U.S. vice president in this area during the interview.
She also announced that if she won the election, she wanted a Republican in her cabinet. "I have 68 days left until the election, so I don't want to put the cart before the horse," said Harris in the interview.
She believes it's crucial for significant decisions to have people at the table who have different perspectives and experiences. "And I believe it would benefit the American public to have a member of my cabinet who is a Republican."
"Next Question, Please."
Harris dismissed Trump's comments about her identity as an African American woman as "the same old worn-out routine" - "Next question, please." Harris is the first woman, first black person, and first person of Asian descent to swear in as U.S. vice president. Her ethnicity and gender are rarely issues in her campaign - as evidenced by her brief reply during the interview. Trump frequently attacks the Democrat in a sexist and racist manner.
A lot is at stake for Harris. Though she has given TV interviews as U.S. vice president, some may not look back on them fondly. However, she did earn praise for an interview following Biden's disastrous TV debate against Trump in June. Harris not only appeared poised but also stood firmly behind her boss. She reiterated her defense of him in the current interview, making it clear she had no regrets for doing so.
Over a month has passed since Biden dropped out of the presidential race - Harris has leaned on choreographed appearances and skillfully avoided critical questions from the media. Criticism of this approach has come not only from Trump and his supporters. The CNN interview presented an opportunity for Harris to pitch her own message - and not just discuss Biden's policies.
Harris was vague in many areas and seemed lackluster at times, but offered an amusing glimpse into the day she learned about Biden's withdrawal from the race. "My family was visiting, including my young nieces, and we were having pancakes," Harris said. Her nieces asked, "Can I have more bacon?" When she wanted to play with her family, the phone suddenly rang, and Biden informed her of his plans.
The candidate known for her liberal views chose CNN, a network generally supportive of Democrats, for her interview. Harris was interviewed by Bash, who had co-moderated the Biden-Trump debate with Jake Tapper and is a seasoned political journalist. Trump typically gives interviews, often to networks like Fox News that strongly support him. He has a habit of not answering the questions fully.
The U.S. Election is shaping up to be a Close Race
Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, had a smaller role in the interview, as expected. The Minnesota governor responded to a question about errors in his military career record by saying, "My grammar isn't always accurate." Walz, 60, has better approval ratings than Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance. However, vice presidential candidates usually do not significantly impact U.S. presidential elections.
The election appears to be closely contested between Harris and Trump. Since Biden's withdrawal, Democratic poll numbers have improved, but their lead in national polls falls within the margin of error, making it of limited significance. In the end, the U.S. presidential election will be determined by the so-called swing states, where it isn't clear whether Democrats or Republicans will win. Here, Trump and Harris are neck and neck in some polls.
CNN is known for its support of Democratic candidates, and Harris chose this network for her interview. CNN is where Kamala Harris defended the achievements of President Joe Biden's administration and called for a political reboot.
