WASHINGTON — In a combative interview with Fox News, Kamala Harris said in her most emphatic language yet that if she wins the election, she would seek an independent presidency that would not be a repeat of President Joe Biden’s nearly four years in office.
“My presidency would not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” Harris told Fox News host Bret Baier. “And like every new president who comes into office, I will bring my life experiences and my professional experiences” to the job. “I represent a new generation of leaders.”
Harris has faced criticism for her recent interview on ABC’s “The View,” in which she failed to identify policy differences she has had with Biden since becoming his vice president.
Given Biden’s unpopularity in polls, Harris’ response has been met with criticism that her presidency would merely be a continuation of Biden’s. NBC News reported that Harris’ campaign was looking for an opportunity for her to create more distance between the two. On Tuesday, Biden appeared to give her his blessing, saying she would “walk her own path” as president.
Harris took the rare step of appearing on the conservative network in hopes of appealing to Republican and independent voters who don’t normally tune in to more mainstream news sources. In a race with Republican Donald Trump that’s too close to call, Harris is trying to make a case to voters who aren’t part of the Democratic coalition but aren’t convinced they can stand four more years of Trump.
The interview was perhaps the most controversial of Harris’ campaign: Both she and Baier had something to prove. Conservative Fox News viewers wanted a tough interview, while Harris needed to come across as strong and demonstrate the level of authority Americans expect from a commander in chief.
The two often talked over and past each other, as Baier tried to pin her down on issues like the border, the economy and any reservations she might have about Biden’s fitness for office.
Harris stood her ground, insisting that she be allowed to finish her sentences, while Baier pushed for short, clear answers that would allow him to cover as much ground as possible.
“I’m in the middle of answering the point you’re making and I’d like to wrap up,” Harris said, parrying one of his questions about immigration.
Brian Fallon, Harris’ campaign communications director, praised her approach to the interview.
“I think there are a fair number of independents and Haley-type Republicans who are very open to voting for VP Harris, and that’s why we’re open to doing events with Republicans and on Fox News,” Fallon told reporters traveling with her, referring to GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
“We feel like we certainly accomplished what we set out to do, in terms of her being able to reach an audience that probably wasn’t exposed to the arguments she made in the trial, and she was also able to show her toughness in standing up to a hostile interviewer,” he said.
Harris became the nominee after Biden dropped out of the race amid sluggish polling and concerns among Democrats that he, at 81, was showing signs of weakness that made him unelectable.
Biden’s weaknesses had been a concern for years, but they came under renewed scrutiny after a dismal debate performance against Trump in June.
Baier asked Harris if she had noticed that Biden had weakened.
She countered by saying Biden has done a good job and quickly pivoted to Trump, portraying him as the one who cannot meet the demands of the presidency.
“Joe Biden is not on the ballot,” she said. “Trump is.”
She cited former senior Trump officials who have said he is unfit to serve as president. “I think the American people are concerned about Donald Trump,” she said.
Baier sought answers on what Trump has made a top campaign issue: border security. He cited crimes committed by illegal immigrants during the Biden-Harris administration.
While she expressed sympathy for the victims and acknowledged that the immigration system is broken, Harris said Congress had crafted a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening border security that Trump had derailed through his influence over GOP lawmakers.
She also blamed Congress for failing to pass a comprehensive immigration bill Biden announced on the first day of his 2021 presidency, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration and providing a path to citizenship for the millions of people living in the country illegally.
Polls indicate voters see Harris as an agent of change.
“You’ve been vice president for 3½ years,” Baier said. “Where do you turn the page?”
Harris singled out Trump, who has run for president or served steadily since 2015.
She said she wanted to move past “the decade in which we’ve been burned by the kind of rhetoric that Donald Trump” has used to “divide our country and literally have Americans pointing fingers at each other.”
If Trump is so flawed, why do so many Americans support his candidacy? Baier asked. Does she think voters are stupid?
“I’ve never said that,” Harris said. Turning to Trump, she said, “He’s the one who tends to belittle and demean the American people.”
She cited Trump’s repeated mention of “the enemy within” lurking in the U.S. and expressed concern that he would use the U.S. military to deal with such vague threats.