In first sit-down interview of her presidential campaign, Harris says 'my values have not changed'
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday “my values have not changed,” as she was questioned along with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in their first major television interview of their presidential campaign.
The interview with CNN’S Dana Bash gives Harris a chance to quell criticism that she has eschewed uncontrolled environments, while also giving her a fresh platform to define her campaign and test her political mettle ahead of an upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump set for Sept. 10. But it also carries risk as her team tries to build on momentum from the ticket shakeup following Joe Biden's exit and last week's Democratic National Convention.
The full CNN interview is set to air at 9 p.m. EDT. It was taped at 1:45 p.m. at Kim’s Cafe, a local Blackowned restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, and excerpts were released Thursday afternoon.
Harris was asked about changes in her policies over the years, specifically her reversals on fracking and decriminalizing illegal border crossings.
“I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris replied.
Harris also brushed off Trump's questioning of her racial identity after the former president said she “happened to turn Black.” Harris, who is of Black and South Asian heritage, said it was the “same old, tired playbook.”
She also said she'd name a Republican to serve in her Cabinet if she were elected, though she didn't have a name in mind.
Joint interviews during an election year are a fixture in politics; Biden and Harris, Trump and Mike Pence, Barack Obama and Biden — all did them at a similar point in the race. The difference is those other candidates had all done solo interviews, too. Harris hasn't yet done an in-depth interview since she became her party's standard bearer five weeks ago, though she did sit for several while she was still Biden's running mate.
Harris and Walz are still introducing themselves to voters, unlike Trump and Biden, of whom people had nearuniversal awareness and opinion.