Takeaways from Harris’s CNN Interview

Elections & Politics | By: Arvind Salem| August 30, 2024

Featured Photo: www.cnn.com

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With President Biden’s withdrawal and Vice President Harris’ nomination as the democrat’s presidential candidate at the DNC, supporters and political observers were waiting for Harris’s first interview as a 2024 Presidential Candidate.  On August 29, 2024, over a month after Biden dropped out, Harris sat down for an interview with CNN’s Danna Bash. Before the interview there were multiple unanswered questions about Harris’s policies: to what extent would she mirror Biden, how would she answer Trump attacks on race,  and how would she defend her changing policy positions?

During the interview Harris answered these questions and more all in 27 minutes. She was measured and didn’t take any big risks that would open her up to new attacks from Trump during the upcoming September 10th debate. For Harris, she showed throughout this interview she was trying to be a continuation of Biden’s policies, but a different messenger. She mirrored nearly all of Biden’s positions on the economy, Israel and Gaza, the border, and fracking.

Additionally, during the interview, Bash pressed her on why she changed her positions now compared to when she was campaigning in 2019. Now, her positions are more moderate and could court disaffected Republicans, whereas in 2019 her policies found favor with the Progressive wing of the Democratic party. For example, on fracking, an issue of supreme importance in swing states like Pennsylvania, Harris responded to her changing positions by arguing that her values were what was important and the underlying value behind those positions ( climate change is a real and present danger.) has remained consistent. Harris changed this position from 2019 to 2020 but not from 2020 to 2024, meaning her current supporters likely already know this switch and support her regardless. However, a switch that may be more harmful to her candidacy is immigration. During the 2020 primary, Harris argued that  unauthorized border crossings should not be criminalized. Given her power over the border as Vice President and the resulting border crisis, this issue represents one of Harris’s key vulnerabilities and her current position that there should be consequences for unauthorized crossings may be viewed as a switch made more for political and electoral gain rather than a genuine policy shift she intends to follow. Harris attempted to boost her credentials on the border and security by citing her experience prosecuting criminal organizations as Attorney General of California.

This was a joint interview with Governor Walz, who gave a lukewarm performance. He addressed concerns about fabricating military service (claiming he carried weapons in war when he never served in combat) and about claiming his wife used IVF when she actually used a slightly different form of treatment known as IUI. Walz’s defense on both of these issues were undergirded by a contention that he tries to speak candidly and people “know where my heart is”. These are not hugely damaging to Walz’s reputation yet, but they are unnecessary mistakes for a candidate with rock solid credentials.

 Policy Analysis:

This debate did very little to sway the election as Harris did not lean into anything overly controversial more than she absolutely had to. President Trump observed this as he posted   “BORING!!!” on Truth Social. However, for Harris, when she has the momentum of renewed Democratic optimism and a convention, along with a slight lead in most polls, boring is good. In 2016, Trump proved that in a sharp, negative, attacking race, he can win by a large electoral  college margin. Harris keeping things boring was likely the best thing she could’ve done. For example, she refused to provocatively address Trump’s comments on her “race switching” from Indian to Black.

For Harris, this interview was also obviously an attempt to gain support from moderates, which is why most of her policy shifts were rightward and the positions she abandoned were mostly progressive ones. During the interview, she even committed to having a member of the opposing party in her cabinet: a convention that Presidents Obama and George W. Bush followed (both of their Transportation Secretaries were part of the opposing parties).

Engagement Resources:

• Harris for President: Readers who want to support the Harris campaign for President should explore this website to find ways to contribute.
• ActBlue: ActBlue allows people to donate to a host of Democratic organizations, candidates, and causes. Readers are likely to find organizations that are supporting the Harris-Walz ticket on this site and may wish to donate money to further that cause.
• DCCC: The DCC is an organization that helps Democrats win Congressional seats. If readers want to help the potential Harris presidency’s ability to enact their legislative agenda, they may wish to support this organization.

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