Vice President Kamala Harris has recently received criticism for struggling to concisely answer simple questions during her first solo interview of her campaign. Harris was previously called out for seemingly avoiding the press, refusing to give an interview for weeks after stepping up to lead the Democratic ticket. However, she recently gave the first interview of her campaign but did so alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
The recent solo interview of Harris was conducted by a friendly reporter with 6 ABC Action News (WPVI-TV), who didn’t ask Vice President Harris any tough or challenging questions. This starkly contrasts the ABC News presidential debate, where the moderators incessantly fact-checked Trump after he delivered his remarks.
Specifically, Harris was asked to name “one or two” policies she would enact to bring down the price of groceries and ease the rampant inflation that has plagued Americans throughout the Biden-Harris administration. While she didn’t offer any policies to ease inflation, she began speaking about her upbringing in very similar comments to what she delivered during the debate last week.
Harris said, “Well, I’ll start with this. I grew up a middle class kid. My mother raised my sister and me. She worked very hard. She was able to finally save up enough money to buy our first house when I was a teenager. I grew up in a community of hard working people, you know, construction workers and nurses and teachers. And I try to explain to some people who may not have had the same experience, you know, if — but a lot of people will relate to this. You know, I grew up in a neighborhood of folks who were very proud of their lawn, you know? And, and I was raised to believe and to know that all people deserve dignity and that we, as Americans, have a beautiful character.”
“You know, we have ambitions and aspirations and dreams, but not everyone necessarily has access to the resources that can help them fuel those dreams and ambitions. So when I talk about building an opportunity economy, it is very much with the mind of investing in the ambitions and aspirations and the incredible work ethic of the American people and creating opportunity for people, for example, to start a small business,” Harris continued.
The vice president further cited her upbringing and familiarity with small businesses, stating, “My mother, you know, worked long hours, and our neighbor helped raise us, we used to call her … I still call her our second mother. She was a small business owner. I love our small business owners. I learned who they are from my childhood, and she was a community leader. She hired locally, she mentored. Our small businesses are so much a part of the fabric of our communities, not to mention, really, I think, the backbone of America’s economy.”
Harris discusses several points of her agenda, such as providing a $25,000 downpayment assistance on homes. Notably, this does not address the original question of improving prices. Furthermore, propping up demand in an already elevated housing market could worsen inflation, not improve it. Additionally, some have predicted that this could encourage consumers to buy houses they can’t afford in the long run and lead to a mortgage crisis, similar to the drivers of what sparked the unraveling of the housing market in 2008.
Watch the interview below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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