WASHINGTON –
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris engaged in a combative interview with Fox Information on Wednesday, sparring with anchor Bret Baier on immigration and shifting coverage positions whereas asserting that if elected, she wouldn’t signify a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Harris’ interview marked her first foray onto the community, which is well-liked with conservative viewers, as she seemed to broaden her outreach to GOP-leaning voters with lower than three weeks till Election Day. Her practically 30-minute sit-down with Baier repeatedly grew heated, with the 2 speaking over one another.
When Baier stored speaking as Harris tried to answer his challenges on immigration, Harris mentioned: “Could I please end? … It’s a must to let me end, please.”
Harris tried repeatedly to pivot the dialog to attacking Donald Trump. However she additionally had loads to say about herself.
Every week after saying she couldn’t consider any transfer made by Biden that she would have carried out in another way, Harris asserted, “My presidency won’t be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency.”
Harris didn’t supply specifics, however mentioned, “Like each new president that comes into workplace, I’ll deliver my life experiences, and my skilled experiences and contemporary and new concepts.”
Requested to make clear her assertion that she needs to “flip the web page,” although Democrats presently maintain the White Home, Harris mentioned she is working on “turning the web page from the final decade through which we have now been burdened with the type of rhetoric coming from Donald Trump.”
On immigration, Harris expressed remorse over the deaths of girls who have been killed by individuals who have been detained after which launched after crossing into the U.S. illegally throughout the Biden administration, however she criticized Trump for his position in blocking a bipartisan immigration invoice earlier this 12 months that will have boosted border funding.
“I’m so sorry for her loss, sincerely,” Harris mentioned after Baier performed footage of the mom of Jocelyn Nungaray blaming Biden and Harris for her daughter’s demise.
Harris indicated she not helps decriminalizing crossing the border illegally, as she did in 2019.
“That was 5 years in the past and I’m very clear that I’ll comply with the regulation,” she mentioned. She gave the identical reply about proposals to permit these within the U.S. illegally to get driver’s licences and backed well being care.
Of Trump, she mentioned, “Persons are exhausted with somebody who professes to be a frontrunner and who spends full time demeaning and fascinating in private grievances.” She added, “He’s not steady.”
This mix photograph reveals Vice-President Kamala Harris, left, on the White Home in Washington, July 22, 2024, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at an occasion July 26, 2024, in West Palm Seaside, Fla. (AP Picture)
She additionally sought to focus Fox viewers on Trump’s speak of “the enemy inside” and threats to punish political rivals.
Baier challenged Harris over her attestations to Biden’s psychological stamina after his disastrous debate with Trump in June that pressured his exit from the 2024 presidential race and her elevation to the highest of the ticket. She once more defended Biden, however added, “Joe Biden is just not on the poll and Donald Trump is.”
Trump’s marketing campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt mentioned Harris was “offended, defensive, and as soon as once more abdicated any duty for the issues Individuals are going through.” She added that if “Kamala can’t deal with the strain of an interview with Fox Information, she actually can’t deal with the strain of being president of the US.”
Pushing again in opposition to Baier’s line of questioning, Harris at one level mentioned, “I would really like if we might have a dialog that’s grounded in a full evaluation of the details.”
Harris marketing campaign spokesperson Brian Fallon mentioned her crew felt she “achieved what we got down to obtain” with the interview. “She was in a position to attain an viewers that has most likely been not uncovered to the arguments she’s been making on the path and she or he additionally acquired to indicate her toughness in standing tall in opposition to a hostile interviewer,” he mentioned.
Referring to former Trump challenger Nikki Haley, Fallon mentioned, “I feel there’s a great variety of independents and Haley-style Republicans who’re very open to voting for Vice President Harris and that’s why we’re open to doing occasions with Republicans and on Fox Information.”
AP author Will Weissert contributed.
