Following NABJ’s contentious interview with Donald Trump in July, the organization sat down with his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday (Sept. 17) in front of an audience of 150 people — most of them college students. From Trump’s racist lies about Haitian immigrants to the study of reparations, here are the five biggest takeaways from the VP’s interview yesterday afternoon.
Harris called the hatred Haitians are experiencing “a crying shame”
Both Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance have repeated the lie that Haitian immigrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. This false claim was pervasive enough for Trump to evoke it at the last presidential debate to disparage Black immigrants, which troubles Harris.
“It’s a crying shame. Literally,” Harris said. “I know that people are deeply troubled by what is happening to that community in Springfield, Ohio, and it’s got to stop.” She also mentioned that schools were evacuated due to threats of violence as a result of the deplorable lies. “Children, children. A whole community put in fear,” she stated.
She repeated her vague stance on the Biden administration’s approach to the Israel-Hamas War
When prompted to discuss if she would handle the Israel-Hamas war the same way Biden has, Harris gave an elusive response — similar to one she’s provided in the past — that seemingly frustrated audience members. “I absolutely believe that this war has to end, and it has to end as soon as possible,” Harris stated.
“And the way that will be achieved is by getting a hostage deal and the cease-fire deal done, and we are working around the clock to achieve that end.”
Harris plans on earning the Black male vote
“I think it’s very important to not operate from the assumption that Black men are in anybody’s pocket,” Harris said to the NABJ panel. “I’m working to earn the vote, not assuming I’m going to have it because I am Black.”
Trump has worked to garner Black male support and Harris plans on doing the same by embarking on an “economic opportunity tour focused on Black men,” she said.
She remained somewhat unclear about reparations for Black folks
When asked if she would take executive action to create a commission to study reparations or if that was better left in the hands of Congress, Harris sounded somewhat unclear on where she stood.
“I’m not discounting the importance of any executive action,” she stated. “But ultimately Congress, because if you’re going to talk about it in any substantial way, there will be hearings, there will be a level of public education and dialogue.”
Harris remains adamant about restoring Roe v. Wade.
When it comes to abortion rights, the Vice President remains steadfast on restoring Roe v. Wade, which was overturned in 2022 by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We need to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade and let an individual in consultation with her doctor make the decision based on what she can determine, cause she’s smart enough to know what’s in her best interest, instead of having her government tell her what to do,” Harris said.