It’s finally happened. And it’s exactly what you expected.
When Vice President Kamala Harris became the de facto successor to President Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket, she took over a month to schedule an interview. Except it wasn’t a solo gig — her veep candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, had to accompany her to the CNN shindig, and she still appeared halting at times.
Then there was the Tuesday debate. I don’t think that anyone is deluding themselves into believing this was a win for Trump, but it wasn’t a win by Kamala.
Rather, moderators who fact-checked every breath Trump took and selected a slate of questions which barely touched on issues that 1) voters care about and 2) the Biden administration has botched — the economy, the border, adding transgender protections to Title IX — kind of covered up the fact that Kamala looked, well, iffy.
She wasn’t the Kamala of 2019, getting dismantled on a debate stage by Tulsi Gabbard, or the Kamala of 2021, falsely stating during an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt that she’d been to the border and, when called out on it, then tried to cover up with the infamous non-sequitur, “And I haven’t been to Europe.”
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However, before the moderation got particularly heavy handed, she struggled during the first portion of the debate — and, during the latter stages, mostly sat back and smiled as a flustered Trump tried to break through the moderation. There were no gaffes, but there were also no knockout punches — and, more importantly, no specific policy proposals of note.
But, finally, Kamala Harris sat down for a one-on-one interview. Not with CNN or Fox or any of the major networks, mind you — with WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, and with this guy, Brian Taff, who has this on his station bio:
Lmao this is the Philly reporter doing Kamala’s **pre-taped** interview tonight pic.twitter.com/yC4IF3dhL5
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) September 13, 2024
Will Kamala Harris lose?
Yes: 95% (316 Votes)
No: 5% (16 Votes)
This is the guy she sat down with for roughly 10 minutes. And it still went exactly how you’d expect a candidate who hasn’t given a one-on-one interview since becoming a presidential candidate nearly two months ago to go.
Take, for instance, inflation. Taff had the audacity to ask her “about bringing down prices and making life more affordable for people” — and not just generalities, but “one or two specific things you have in mind for that.”
See if you recall some of this rambling and note how it sounds when there isn’t another candidate having a battle with two network moderators on a debate stage:
“Well, I’ll start with this: I grew up a middle-class kid,” Harris said.
“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 hardworking people. You know, construction workers and nurses and teachers. I try to explain to some people who might not have had the same experience, but a lot of people will relate to this.
“You know, I grew up in a neighborhood of people who were really proud of their lawn, you know, and I was raised to believe and to know that all people deserve dignity and that we as Americans have a beautiful character,” she continued.
“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.”
Oh my goodness this is an absolute train wreck.
Reporter: What are your specific plans to bring down prices?
Kamala: “I grew up a middle class kid… I grew up in a neighborhood of folks who were very proud of their lawn. Ya know?”pic.twitter.com/lhOdWoygy2
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 13, 2024
A solid policy statement: On day one of her administration, Kamala Harris will sign an executive order “with the mind of investing in the ambitions and aspirations and the incredible work ethic of the American people,” presumably so they can be really proud of their lawn again.
By the by, I know what the gay pride flag looks like and the transgender pride flag looks like, but what does the lawn pride flag look like? Is it several stripes of different shades of green with an image of Clint Eastwood from “Gran Torino” on it, only without the gun? Asking for a candidate.
As for policy stuff, when she got around to it: “My opportunity economy plan includes giving startups a $50,000 tax deduction to start their small business. It used to be $5,000. Nobody can start a small business with $5,000,” she said.
“Opportunity economy means, look, we don’t have enough housing in America. We have a housing supply shortage, and what that means, in particular, for so many younger Americans, the American Dream is elusive, it’s just actually not attainable,” she added. “To help people who just want to get their foot in the door, literally, and so giving first-time homebuyers a $25,000 down payment assistance.”
That first idea, like so many other Harris positions put out in a flurry of activity just before the debate — because going into such an environment with “joy” and “vibes” wasn’t going to cut it — is more of a vague promise than a policy position. Increasing startup tax deductions tenfold, pricing that into the budget and ensuring that those deductions don’t create opportunities for fraud or moral hazards hasn’t actually been carried out. But it sounds nice! Just like “joy” and “vibes” do.
As for the second point, this has been kicked around for a while. When you hear “giving first-time homebuyers a $25,000 down payment assistance,” translate that to, “tack on $25,000 to home prices because of ‘free’ government money,” because that’s what you’re going to see. But at least they’ll be that much prouder of their expensive lawn.
And, as for how she would try to convince Trump-leaning voters in Pennsylvania to cast a ballot for her?
“I, based on experience, and a lived experience, know in my heart, I know in my soul, I know, that the vast majority of us as Americans have so much more in common than what separates us,” she said.
“And I also believe that I am accurate in knowing that most Americans want a leader that brings us together as Americans and not someone who professes to be a leader who is trying to have us point our fingers at each other.”
Harris, from the debate stage Tuesday, falsely accused her opponent of wanting to ban IVF, calling the neo-Nazi protesters in Charlottesville in 2017 “very fine people,” and of saying that Trump warned of a “bloodbath” if he wasn’t elected without noting that he was referring to the effects the Biden administration’s trade policy would have on the car industry, not on political violence. All blatant lies, not a word from the moderators — but all designed to divide America.
Furthermore, she’s part of a campaign that’s constantly told us that “democracy is on the ballot” — a not-so-subtle insinuation that a vote for their opponent is a vote for an autocrat. But, right, Harris is “a leader that brings us together as Americans and not someone who professes to be a leader who is trying to have us point our fingers at each other,” whatever that word salad means.
Mark the occasion: Brian Taff, a man who does not even have the gravitas or objectivity of Ron Burgundy, was the first to have a one-on-one sitdown with the Democratic candidate for president. And he even exposed why he was the first to score such an interview, for so many reasons.
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