Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice-President Kamala Harris addressed a campaign event in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
In a spirited interview with right-wing Fox News, Kamala Harris vowed to distance herself from Joe Biden's presidency, aiming to appeal to Republican voters skeptical of Donald Trump. Harris engaged in heated exchanges with interviewer Bret Baier on contentious issues such as immigration and gender transition surgery, often requesting to finish her statements when Baier interrupted.
A pivotal moment in the 30-minute interview occurred when Harris was questioned about her recent remarks, which Republicans have criticized, stating she couldn't think of anything she would have done differently from Biden during his term. "My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden's presidency," Harris, 59, asserted, emphasizing her intention to introduce "fresh and new ideas" and representing a "new generation of leadership." Biden had previously mentioned that Harris would "cut her own path" as president.
Harris also launched a scathing critique of former Republican president Trump, 78, accusing him of threatening to use the military against domestic adversaries. "He's the one who tends to demean and belittle and diminish the American people. He's the one who talks about an 'enemy within.'" Trump's campaign team swiftly labeled the interview a "train wreck," with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stating that Harris was "angry, defensive, and abdicated any responsibility for the problems Americans are facing."
Harris's first appearance on Fox News was a calculated risk as she aims to break the stalemate in the close-fought White House race with less than three weeks remaining. The Democrat faced rigorous questioning, with Baier also requesting her response to Trump campaign advertisements and a clip defending his military comments. Harris consistently redirected questions back to her election rival, Trump.
The most contentious exchanges arose when Baier pressed Harris on the high numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the Mexican border under the Biden administration, which have significantly decreased in recent months. Harris responded by mentioning that the Biden-Harris administration had proposed a bill to enhance border crossings but that "Donald Trump told (Republicans) to kill it." She was also questioned on gender surgery for prisoners or illegal aliens, a conservative attack point featured in recent Trump campaign ads.
Harris stated, "I will follow the law -- and it's a law that Donald Trump actually followed," referencing a New York Times report that under Trump's presidency, prisons also provided gender-affirming care. When asked about her observation of Biden's mental acuity diminishing before he withdrew from the race following a poor debate with Trump, Harris again shifted the focus to the Republican, stating, "Bret, Joe Biden is not on the ballot. And Donald Trump is."
Fox News has been instrumental in Trump's political ascent, and he criticized the network over the Harris interview, accusing Baier of being "very soft." Trump also appeared on Fox News before Harris, in a pre-recorded town hall with an all-female audience, discussing in vitro fertilization (IVF), a fertility treatment Democrats claim is threatened by his policies. Despite being in his comfort zone, the topic was challenging as women have been alienated by Trump's statements on reproductive rights and his campaign overall. He was applauded for asserting that Republicans champion the procedure.
Harris, who has made the defense of reproductive rights a cornerstone of her election platform, deemed his comments "bizarre." The campaign will proceed on Thursday, with a new podcast interview of Trump airing and Harris campaigning in the crucial swing state of Wisconsin.
