Kamala Harris stated that her presidency “would not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency” during a testy interview with Fox News on Wednesday night, as she criticized Donald Trump over his continuing threats against “the enemy within.”
The 25-minute interview, conducted after Harris held a rally with more than 100 Republican officials in Pennsylvania, marked her first conversation with Fox News, which has long been a supporter of Trump.
Bret Baier, Fox News’s chief political anchor, approached the interview with a list of right-wing topics, including immigration, the rights of transgender people, and Joe Biden’s performance, as Harris aimed to appeal to the channel’s older, largely Republican, audience.
“Let me be very clear. My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency, and like every new president that comes into office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences, and fresh new ideas. I represent a new generation of leadership,” Harris said.
She further added, “For example, as someone who has not spent the majority of my career in Washington DC, I invite ideas from the Republicans who are supporting me, who were just on stage with me minutes ago, and the business sector and others, who can contribute to the decisions that I make.”
Baier referenced polling that indicates a majority of Americans believe the country is “on the wrong track,” asking Harris why they feel this way when she has been vice president since January 2021. Harris posited that the polls reflect fatigue with both Biden and Trump, noting that Trump has been “running for office” since 2016.
She highlighted that several former high-profile members of the Trump administration now believe “that he is unfit to serve, that he is unstable, that he is dangerous, and that people are exhausted with someone who professes to be a leader, who spends full time demeaning and engaging in personal grievances.”
When Baier questioned why Trump maintains support among “half the country,” he provocatively asked, “Are they stupid?”
“I would never say that about the American people. And in fact, if you listen to Donald Trump, if you watch any of his rallies, he’s the one who tends to demean, and belittle, and diminish the American people,” Harris responded.
“He’s the one who talks about an enemy within. An enemy within, talking about the American people, suggesting he would turn the American military on the American people.”
Earlier on the same day, Trump had participated in a Fox News town hall where he reiterated his comments about “the enemy from within,” describing this internal foe, whom he claims should be handled by the military, as “the Pelosis” and his other political adversaries.
Trump expressed outrage over the news of Baier’s interview with Harris, posting on social media that the anchor was “often very soft to those on the ‘cocktail circuit’ left” and falsely claimed that Fox News “has grown so weak and soft on the Democrats.”
While Baier appeared to be a counterbalance to Fox’s more radical nighttime hosts, he largely adhered to right-wing themes.
During the interview, Baier played a Trump campaign ad, suggesting it was one of the few political advertisements to “break through” this year. The ad referenced an interview with Harris from 2019, where she expressed support for “surgical care” for trans prisoners.
Although Trump has invested heavily in anti-transgender advertising, Harris countered the narrative by stating, “under Donald Trump’s administration, these surgeries were available on a medical necessity basis, to people in the federal prison system.”
“And I think, frankly, that ad from the Trump campaign is a little bit like throwing, you know, stones when you’re living in the glass house,” she added.
Polls show Harris and Trump are effectively tied in most swing states, as both campaigns intensify their messaging leading up to the November 5 election. Harris’s interview with Fox News was one of many in a busy week. She has also been featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes, participated in discussions on The View talk show, and spoke with radio host Charlamagne tha God.
This marked Harris’ first substantial interview with Fox News, although her running mate, Tim Walz, has appeared on the network multiple times. Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, frequently engages with Fox News, with his calm rebuttals to often challenging questions going viral and resonating with Democrats.
Plain Text Version:
Kamala Harris stated that her presidency “would not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency” during a testy interview with Fox News on Wednesday night, as she criticized Donald Trump over his continuing threats against “the enemy within.”
The 25-minute interview, conducted after Harris held a rally with more than 100 Republican officials in Pennsylvania, marked her first conversation with Fox News, which has long been a supporter of Trump.
Bret Baier, Fox News’s chief political anchor, approached the interview with a list of right-wing topics, including immigration, the rights of transgender people, and Joe Biden’s performance, as Harris aimed to appeal to the channel’s older, largely Republican, audience.
“Let me be very clear. My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency, and like every new president that comes into office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences, and fresh new ideas. I represent a new generation of leadership,” Harris said.
She further added, “For example, as someone who has not spent the majority of my career in Washington DC, I invite ideas from the Republicans who are supporting me, who were just on stage with me minutes ago, and the business sector and others, who can contribute to the decisions that I make.”
Baier referenced polling that indicates a majority of Americans believe the country is “on the wrong track,” asking Harris why they feel this way when she has been vice president since January 2021. Harris posited that the polls reflect fatigue with both Biden and Trump, noting that Trump has been “running for office” since 2016.
She highlighted that several former high-profile members of the Trump administration now believe “that he is unfit to serve, that he is unstable, that he is dangerous, and that people are exhausted with someone who professes to be a leader, who spends full time demeaning and engaging in personal grievances.”
When Baier questioned why Trump maintains support among “half the country,” he provocatively asked, “Are they stupid?”
“I would never say that about the American people. And in fact, if you listen to Donald Trump, if you watch any of his rallies, he’s the one who tends to demean, and belittle, and diminish the American people,” Harris responded.
“He’s the one who talks about an enemy within. An enemy within, talking about the American people, suggesting he would turn the American military on the American people.”
Earlier on the same day, Trump had participated in a Fox News town hall where he reiterated his comments about “the enemy from within,” describing this internal foe, whom he claims should be handled by the military, as “the Pelosis” and his other political adversaries.
Trump expressed outrage over the news of Baier’s interview with Harris, posting on social media that the anchor was “often very soft to those on the ‘cocktail circuit’ left” and falsely claimed that Fox News “has grown so weak and soft on the Democrats.”
While Baier appeared to be a counterbalance to Fox’s more radical nighttime hosts, he largely adhered to right-wing themes.
During the interview, Baier played a Trump campaign ad, suggesting it was one of the few political advertisements to “break through” this year. The ad referenced an interview with Harris from 2019, where she expressed support for “surgical care” for trans prisoners.
Although Trump has invested heavily in anti-transgender advertising, Harris countered the narrative by stating, “under Donald Trump’s administration, these surgeries were available on a medical necessity basis, to people in the federal prison system.”
“And I think, frankly, that ad from the Trump campaign is a little bit like throwing, you know, stones when you’re living in the glass house,” she added.
Polls show Harris and Trump are effectively tied in most swing states, as both campaigns intensify their messaging leading up to the November 5 election. Harris’s interview with Fox News was one of many in a busy week. She has also been featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes, participated in discussions on The View talk show, and spoke with radio host Charlamagne tha God.
This marked Harris’ first substantial interview with Fox News, although her running mate, Tim Walz, has appeared on the network multiple times. Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, frequently engages with Fox News, with his calm rebuttals to often challenging questions going viral and resonating with Democrats.