Harris defends the White House record for the first high-profile interview

US Vice President Kamala Harris defended her policy switch, President Joe Biden, and her time in the White House in her first speech since being nominated as a Democrat.

Ms. Harris pointed out that the Biden administration has been able to “restore the economy” after the pandemic and reduce illegal border crossings in recent months.

He called the White House’s policies “a success”, pointing to the drop in prescription drug costs and the unemployment rate: “That’s a good job. There’s a lot to do.”

Ms. Harris appeared in a pre-recorded CNN interview with her partner, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. It was the first time he was president.

The vice president was forced to defend the White House’s economic record, as inflation and the high cost of living continue to hurt American pocketbooks. Polls have consistently suggested that voters would prefer Donald Trump’s election on the economy.

But the most heated exchange between Ms. Harris and CNN interviewer Dana Bash centered on assertions that the Democratic nominee’s policy positions had “changed” during his time as vice president and in the presidential election.

“I think the most important thing and the most important thing in my policy opinion and decisions is that my values ​​have not changed,” he said when asked why his positions have changed in recent years.

Trump had already canceled the vice president’s first interview, which lasted 27 minutes, because it was pre-recorded and included Mr. Walz.

He used one word in his post-graduation review.

“AWESOME!!!” the former president wrote in Truth Social.

Ms. Harris has cited her efforts to tackle climate change and support for the Green New Deal, a Democratic proposal to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, as a standing quorum when pressed about her policy positions.

“I have always believed, and I have worked on it, that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter,” he said.

The vice president pointed to the Biden administration’s work on the Tax Cuts Act, which included hundreds of billions of dollars in renewable energy and electric vehicle tax and rebate programs.

“We have set goals for the United States of America, and by extension the world, where we must meet certain standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Ms. Harris did not explain her pushback against fracking — a way to get gas and oil from the shale rock used by the biggest industry in Pennsylvania’s battleground.

Ms Harris had said “there is no question I agree with banning fracking” during a CNN town hall in 2019. But he has backed away from that idea since becoming vice president — even casting a divisive vote in the Senate. on new fracking leases.

In a CNN interview on Thursday, he said: “As president, I will not condone fraud.”

Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the campaign, said on social media that “the Biden administration’s clean energy investments have proven the potential for climate change without those previous approaches”.

Ms Harris has held progressive views on immigration as a member of parliament and in her 2020 presidential campaign. He had previously called for the closure of immigration detention centers and an end to illegal crossings.

But on the issue of “protecting our border” Ms Harris said “my values ​​have not changed” and referred to her time “prosecuting transnational corporations, criminal organizations” as California’s attorney general.

Earlier this year, the vice president supported a tough bipartisan border security deal that included hundreds of millions of dollars for border wall construction.

Trump has pressured Republicans in Congress to kill the deal, but Ms. Harris has promised to “sign it into law” if elected. He committed to conveying it again during the CNN interview.

Explaining his views on immigration, the Democratic candidate told CNN that his travels around the country as vice president made him “believe that it is important to build consensus, and it is important to find a common ground where we can really solve problems”.

Along those lines, Ms. Harris pledged to include a “former Republican” in her presidential cabinet. He said it would fulfill his promise to be president “for all Americans”.

“I have used my job to invite different opinions. I think it is important to have people at the table when important decisions are made with different opinions.”

Ms. Harris was also asked about the war in Gaza, and reiterated the White House’s position that Israel and Hamas must “make an agreement” and that the Palestinians deserve to have their neighboring country Israel.

“This war must end, we must find an agreement regarding the release of the hostages,” he said.

He would not commit to an arms embargo on Israel, as some on the left of his party have said.

Mr Walz, who served for decades in the US National Guard, was asked to clarify his comments when he said he had “carried” a gun “into war”.

The campaign has made it clear that Mr Walz has never been in a war zone.

In the interview, the governor said he was wearing his “emotions on his sleeve” and was “speaking with anger” about the issue of gun crime in schools when he made the inaccurate statement.

That “interest” also extends to his wrongful assertion that his wife received in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment – which has become a political flashpoint in the US debate over abortion access – to conceive their children.

She underwent intrauterine insemination, not IVF, although doctors say the two fertility treatments are often referred to interchangeably.

Mr Walz said his record speaks for itself. He said he did not believe that the Americans were “cutting hair” between the two.

The Minnesota governor was also asked about his son, Gus, who went viral when he proudly announced “That’s my dad” at the Democratic National Convention.

“It was such a sensitive, emotional moment that I’m thankful I got to experience it – and I’m proud of him.”

Ms. Harris described the moment when President Biden called her to share with her that he had decided to end his re-election bid in July.

He said his family was visiting him when he got the call. They were just eating pancakes and bacon and working on a puzzle.

“My first thought wasn’t about me, to be honest with you, my first thought was about him,” Ms. Harris said when asked if she was asking him to endorse her.

The vice president is adamant that the president could run again.

“He’s very smart, and I’ve spent hours and hours with him in the Oval Office and in the situation room. He has the intelligence, dedication and judgment and personality that I think the American people deserve in their president.”

He said Trump, in contrast, had none of those qualities.

Ms. Harris has faced criticism from Republicans and other pundits for refusing to hold a press conference or a recorded, in-depth interview until now. His critics argued that he avoided having his record challenged.

His appearance on CNN marks his first substantive interview since Mr. Biden dropped out of the race.

Ms. Bash, the CNN reporter who interviewed Ms. Harris and Mr. Walz, was one of the moderators of the June 27 debate between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump.

Mr. Biden’s poor performance in that debate was widely seen as the trigger for the president to withdraw from the race.