Vice President Kamala Harris, in a rare Fox News interview on Wednesday, dodged a bevy of questions about the Biden-Harris immigration policies, the president’s cognitive decline and her support for taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for prisoners.
The interview is part of Ms. Harris’ pursuit of support from Republican votes who have become disillusioned with former President Donald Trump.
She repeatedly sidestepped questions, often pivoting to sharp attacks on Mr. Trump and boasts of Republican politicos and former Trump administration officials who are backing her.
Fox News anchor Bret Baier spent the first 10 minutes focused on immigration, an issue that’s top-of-mind for many Republican voters.
• Ms. Harris declined to discuss how many illegal immigrants have been released into the country under the Biden-Harris administration.
“Donald Trump learned about that bill and told [Republicans] to kill it because he’d prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.”
She refused to say if she owed the families of those victimized by migrant crime an apology.
“Let me just say, first of all, those are tragic cases. There’s no question about that. And I can’t imagine the pain that the families of those victims have experienced for a loss that should not have occurred,” she said before again pivoting to Mr. Trump’s opposition to the border bill.
• Ms. Harris kept circling back to Mr. Trump, depicting him as unhinged, dangerous and a threat to democracy.
“People are exhausted with someone who professes to be a leader, who spends full time demeaning and engaging in personal grievances and it being about him instead of the American people.”
When asked why she’s locked in a tight race with someone supposedly so erratic and dangerous, Ms. Harris replied that an election “is not supposed to be a cakewalk.”
• Ms. Harris declined to say if she still supported taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for prisoners, a position she advocated for in 2019.
“I will follow the law.”
• She was asked if and when she became aware of the cognitive decline of the 81-year-old President Biden, she touted his experience and then said the American people are more concerned about Mr. Trump.
“Joe Biden is not on the ballot and Donald Trump is.”
• Ms. Harris also said she would “turn the page” from the Biden administration, pledging that she would do things differently but gave few details.
“My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency.”
In a statement, the Trump campaign called the interview “a train wreck” and dismissed Ms. Harris’ answers as “angry” and “defensive.”
“She couldn’t give a straight answer to a single question because she has no answers. Kamala’s entire campaign is based on lies about President Trump. Kamala can’t handle the pressure of an interview with Fox News — she certainly can’t handle the pressure of being President of the United States,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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