Vice President Kamala Harris has no intention of directly continuing President Joe Biden’s policies if she wins the November election, the Democratic candidate said in an interview on Fox television.
Harris asserts her presidency “will not be a continuation” of Joe Biden’s
The 25-minute interview, which took place after Harris held a rally with more than 100 Republican representatives in Pennsylvania, was the first time Harris sat down with Fox News, which has consistently backed Trump.
Bret Baier, the network’s chief political anchor, is seen as a counterweight to the straight news and rage of the late-night shows, but Harris, trying to sell herself to the channel’s older, mostly Republican audience, still offered a whole list of right-wing topics, including immigration, transgender rights and Joe Biden’s speech.
Harris was asked if there was anything she would ‘do differently’ compared to Joe Biden when Baier played a clip in which the vice president said in an earlier interview that ‘there’s nothing that comes to mind’ that she would change. That response has been the subject of attacks from Republicans who are trying to link Harris to the unpopular Biden administration. She said:
“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.”
She also added:
“For example, as someone who has not spent the majority of my career in Washington DC, I invite ideas: whether it be 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 pointed to polls showing a majority of Americans believe the country is “on the wrong track” and asked Harris why they say that, since she has been vice president since January 2021. Harris suggested that the polls show fatigue with Biden and Trump, given that the latter has been “running for president” since 2016.
Harris noted that several high-profile former members of the Trump administration now believe “that he’s not fit for office, that he’s unstable, that he’s dangerous, and that people are tired of a man who professes to be a leader but spends all his time demeaning and dealing with personal grievances.”
Polls show Harris and Trump virtually tied in most battleground states as both campaigns seek to persuade voters before November 5.
J.D. Vance argues that Donald Trump didn’t lose the 2020 election
Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance said on Wednesday for the first time since joining the Republican Party that Donald Trump did not lose the 2020 election, after dodging questions from reporters and his opponent on the debate stage a fortnight ago.
Vance, responding to a reporter’s question in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, said there would be “serious problems” in 2020, referring to alleged censorship by tech companies. He said in his most direct answer to the question yet:
“Did Donald Trump lose the election? Not by the words that I would use. But look, I really couldn’t care less if you agree with me or disagree with me on this issue.”
Vance emphasised his focus on social media censorship instead, citing Twitter’s decision to temporarily block users from posting a story about Hunter Biden’s laptop.
In recent weeks, Vance has not acknowledged that Trump lost – he didn’t respond when Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz asked him about it during a debate, when he was asked five times during a New York Times interview, and when he was asked about it several times during the campaign. As a candidate for the Senate in 2022, Vance questioned the outcome of the presidential election, citing his concerns about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s donations to the campaign organisation. Harris campaign spokesman Matt Corridoni said in a statement:
“There we have it — JD Vance finally admitted he denies the 2020 election results. As Governor Walz said on the debate stage weeks ago, Donald Trump selected Vance for this exact reason — he knows Vance will be a loyal soldier in Trump’s pursuit for absolute, unchecked, limitless power.”
Trump and Vance’s campaign declined to comment on Vance’s remarks on Wednesday.
The question of the 2020 election results has hung over Vance since the October 1 debate, when Walz said Vance gave a “damning unanswered answer.” Harris has increasingly used the issue to rally Republicans against Trump, including during a campaign event Wednesday in Pennsylvania, where she stood surrounded by her Republican supporters.
Trump’s reelection loss was confirmed by dozens of lawsuits and investigations at various levels of government. He continues to face charges in two jurisdictions – Georgia and at the federal level – over his attempts to overturn his defeat, culminating in an attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Nevertheless, Vance did not acknowledge that Trump had lost, repeating in recent days that he was “focused on the future” and accusing the media of being “obsessed” with the issue.
