4 takeaways from Harris’ Fox News interview

Vice President Kamala Harris continued her media blitz Wednesday night with a controversial interview on Fox News, her first appearance on the right-wing network.

The 30-minute interview with chief political reporter Bret Baier began on a tense note, with Baier asking Harris to estimate how many “illegal immigrants” she said the Biden administration had “released into the country over the course of of the last three and a half months. years.”

As Harris began his response, Baier interrupted him several times in an attempt to get him to provide a specific number.

“I’m responding to the point you’re making,” Harris told Baier. “I’d like to finish.”

From there, the clashes continued. Here are some of the key takeaways from the interview.

Harris denies wanting to decriminalize unauthorized border crossings

During early discussions on the topic of immigration and border security, Harris said she did not and did not support decriminalizing unauthorized border crossings into the United States.

“We have a broken immigration system that needs to be fixed,” she told Baier. “I am very clear – as is Tim Walz – that we must support and enforce federal law, and that is what we will do.”

Harris also went after Trump for his opposition to a bipartisan border security proposal, saying the former president would rather “attack a problem than solve it.”

Baier highlighted the cases of Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley and Rachel Morin, all young women allegedly killed by men who came to the United States illegally and who are frequently mentioned at Trump rallies.

“Do you owe these families an apology? » Baier asked Harris.

“These are tragic cases. There’s no doubt about it,” she replied. “It’s also true that if a border security (bill) had been passed nine months ago, it would have taken nine months, we would have had more border agents at the border, more support for people working around the clock to try to hold everything together to ensure no future damage occurs.

Harris: ‘I will follow the law’ on gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates

During one exchange, Baier played excerpts from a Trump campaign ad that sharply criticizes Harris for her past support for using taxpayer funds for gender-affirming surgeries on transgender inmates, including those who are undocumented.

When Baier asked if she still supported the idea, Harris replied, “I will follow the law. »

“It’s actually a law that Donald Trump followed,” she added. “Under the Donald Trump administration, these surgical procedures were available – on a medically necessary basis – to people incarcerated in the federal prison system. And I think this ad from the Trump campaign is a bit harsh when you live in a glass house.

The federal law has been in effect since February 2018. Although the Trump administration tightened treatment guidelines previously set by the Obama administration regarding who was eligible for transgender surgery, this law remained available during Trump’s presidency.

Baier pointed out that “Trump aides” said no surgeries had taken place during his presidency, which is true: the first surgery took place in 2022. Yet Harris countered that Trump was trying to scare voters with advertising.

“(Trump) spent $20 million on these ads trying to create a sense of fear in voters because he actually has no plan for this election that focuses on the needs of the American people,” said Harris.

Harris slams Baier for releasing misleading Trump clip

After mentioning that Trump and Harris are neck and neck in the polls, Baier asked Harris if she thought the 50 percent of Americans who sided with Trump were “misguided” or “stupid.”

“I would never say that about the American people,” Harris responded. “In fact, if you listen to Donald Trump, if you watch any of his rallies, he’s the one who tends to belittle and belittle the American people. It is he who speaks of an “internal enemy”.

Baier went on to claim that Fox News host Harris Faulkner asked Trump about this particular quote during a town hall broadcast on the network earlier Wednesday. He then played a clip of Trump responding to Faulkner, saying, “I’m not threatening anyone. »

“Bret, I’m sorry, and with all due respect: this clip does not correspond to what he says about the ‘enemy within’ and which he has repeated when talking about the American people ” Harris said after the video was released. “That’s not what you just showed.”

“He said it several times, and you and I both know it,” she continued. “You and I both know he talked about turning the American military against the American people.”

A Harris presidency “will not be a continuation of that of Joe Biden”

Baier played excerpts from two of Harris’ recent interviews in which she was asked what she would do differently than the Biden administration, including an Oct. 8 interview about The view during which she responded, “Nothing comes to mind.” »

On Wednesday, Harris was more forceful in distancing herself from Biden.

“Let me be very clear: My presidency will not be a continuation of the presidency of Joe Biden,” Harris told Baier. “Like any new president who takes office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences and fresh and new ideas. . I represent a new generation of leaders.

Baier also pressed Harris on her previous advocacy of Biden’s mental fitness to hold office before ending his re-election campaign. Harris reiterated that Biden had the “judgment” and “experience” to be president, then turned the question around to be about Trump.

“Joe Biden is not on the ballot, Donald Trump is,” she said. “He is unfit to serve. He is unstable. He is dangerous. And people are exhausted.