What I’ll do on day one as President— Kamala Harris
US Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks on the fourth and last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Vice President Kamala Harris gave her first in-depth media interview since becoming the Democratic nominee for president, answering questions Thursday from CNN’s Dana Bash.
Pressed by Bash about what she would do on “day one,” Harris focused on what she said was her agenda to bolster the middle class.
“Day one it’s going to be about, one, implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy,” she said. “I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which includes what we’re going to do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re going to do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re going to do to invest in families, for example, extending the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child’s life to help them buy a car seat, to help them buy baby clothes, a crib.”
Harris added that she would also begin pushing her plan to build more affordable housing across the country.
‘My values have not changed’
In one exchange, Bash asked Harris about policy changes on issues like her past support for the Green New Deal and for a ban on fracking since running in the Democratic primary for president in 2019.
“Dana, I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris responded.
She went on to note her commitment to fighting climate change and to try to address the current wave of undocumented immigration.
“We have set goals for the United States of America — and by extension, the globe — around when we should meet certain standards for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as an example. That value has not changed,” she said. “My value around what we need to do to secure our border. That value has not changed.”
On Israel, Harris puts hope on ceasefire agreement
Bash asked Harris if she would consider withholding weapon shipments in an effort to influence Israel as it wages a retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza that has killed 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials.
“Let me be very clear. I am unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself, and that’s not going to change,” she said.
At the same time, Harris took issue with the number of civilian Palestinians that have been killed in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
“Israel has a right to defend itself, we would. And how it does so matters,” she said.
As for whether she would change U.S. policy if elected president, Harris kept focus on the need for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“We have got to get a deal done. This war must end,” she said, adding that she ultimately supports a two-state solution.
Going on the attack on securing the border
Echoing her stump speech, Harris sought to flip the script on the surge of undocumented immigration that occurred under the Biden administration by blaming Trump for torpedoing a bipartisan Senate compromise to beef up border security and overhaul the asylum process.
“Donald Trump got word of this bill that would have contributed to securing our border, and because he believes that it would not have helped him politically, he told his folks in Congress, ‘Don’t put it forward.’” Harris said. “He killed the bill, a border security bill that would have put 1,500 more agents on the border, and let me tell you something, the Border Patrol endorsed the bill.”
“He killed the bill,” she said of Trump, adding, “I will make sure that it comes to my desk, and I would sign it.”
Pressed by Bash on whether she still supported the idea that the border should be “decriminalized,” as she indicated by raising her hand during a 2019 debate, Harris offered a different view on Thursday.
“I believe there should be consequence. We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally, and there should be consequence,” she said.
Pledge to appoint a Republican to Cabinet position
Harris said that if she is elected in November, she would pick at least one Republican Cabinet member in her administration.
“I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences,” she said. “And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who was a Republican.”Not taking Trump’s bait
Bash asked Harris to respond to the incendiary comments Trump made earlier this month during an appearance at the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. During a contentious interview, Trump said that Harris had purposefully misrepresented her ethnic background and only recently “became a Black person.”
But Harris made clear that she wanted no part of what she regarded as a “tired,” racially motivated attack.
“Same old, tired playbook,” she said. “Next question, please.”
“That’s it?” Bash asked.
“That’s it,” Harris responded.
