Harris claims steadfast values in CNN interview

Kamala Harris speaks at rally in Savannah, Georgia — "My values have not changed."

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What happened

Vice President Kamala Harris sat down yesterday for her first major television interview since she became the Democratic presidential nominee following President Joe Biden's exit from the race on July 21. CNN's Dana Bash interviewed Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, at a cafe in Savannah, Georgia. The wide-ranging 27-minute conversation was broadcast last night.

Who said what

Harris said her positions on some issues may have shifted since her 2019 presidential run, but "my values have not changed." She pledged she "will not ban fracking" but would appoint a Republican in her Cabinet. And she brushed off Donald Trump's comments about her racial identity, telling Bash: "Same old tired playbook. Next question please."

Harris was "methodical and risk-averse," parrying Bash's questions "without causing herself political harm or providing herself a significant boost," Reid Epstein said at The New York Times. Like a "top seed in the early rounds of the U.S. Open," Harris performed to "survive and advance to the next round — in this case, her Sept. 10 debate" with Trump. On social media, Trump called the inverview "BORING!!!"

What next?

Harris told a packed arena in Savannah later on that it will be a "tight race to the end," and she's the underdog. The first mail ballots go out in two weeks.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.