Kamala Harris ‘doesn’t regret’ defending Joe Biden’s ability to stay president – as she reveals moment she found out he’s stepping aside
Kamala Harris doesn’t “at all” regret defending Joe Biden’s ability to serve another four years as president – as she revealed the moment he told her he was stepping aside.
President Biden withdrew from the race for the White House in July after weeks of scrutiny over his age and fitness, most notably after a disastrous debate showing against Donald Trump.
Ms Harris, who is serving as his vice president, had backed Mr Biden to continue until that point and said it has been an “honour” to serve in his administration.
“He has the intelligence, the commitment and the judgement and disposition that I think the American people rightly deserve in their president,” she told CNN.
“By contrast, the former president has none of that.”
Kamala Harris had defended Joe Biden’s ability to serve. Pic: AP
In her first mainstream media interview since being named as the Democrat nominee, she revealed she was about to work on a puzzle with her young nieces when Mr Biden called.
“The phone rang and it was Joe Biden and he told me what he had decided to do and I asked him, ‘are you sure?’ And he said ‘yes’ and that’s how I learned about it,” she said.
She said he was “very clear” he was going to endorse her, but she said her first thought was about him.
‘My values haven’t changed’
Ms Harris also insisted her values “have not changed” despite pivoting more towards the centre on certain policies.
She has toughened her position on migration along the southern US border with Mexico and no longer wants a ban on fracking, an energy production method employing many in the key state of Pennsylvania.
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“My value around what we need to do to secure our border – that value has not changed,” she said.
“I spent two terms as the attorney general of California prosecuting trans-national criminal organisations, violations of American laws, regarding the illegal passage of guns, drugs and human beings across our border.
“My values have not changed.”
‘Deal needed in Gaza’
A Palestinian man mourns the loss of a relative in this week’s attacks. Pic: AP
On foreign affairs, she said a ceasefire and hostage release deal is needed in Gaza, while she reiterated support for Israel and maintained “too many innocent Palestinians have been killed”.
“Israel has a right to defend itself… and how it does so matters,” she said.
“Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed, and we have got to get a deal done.”
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She did not offer any change in the current status quo policy.
Republican in cabinet
She also discussed the possibility of adding a Republican to her potential cabinet, adding she wanted a diversity of opinion.
“I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences,” she said.
“And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my cabinet who was a Republican.”
She said there was “no one particular” in mind for the potential role.
‘Next question please’
Turning attention back to Mr Trump, Ms Harris was asked about his claim the multicultural Democrat only recently began identifying as black.
“Same old tired playbook,” said Ms Harris, whose mother was born in India and father in Jamaica.
“Next question, please.”
She has long embraced the totality of her identity and graduated from Howard University, a historically black institution.
Dozens of supporters were outside court as the man accused of fatally shooting the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare made his first appearance.
Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder following the 4 December killing of Brian Thompson, 50, outside a midtown Manhattan hotel.
The 26-year-old is accused of ambushing and shooting the executive as he walked to an investor conference.
Luigi Mangione supporters stand outside the Supreme Court. Pic: AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah
Dozens of people who showed up in court to support the suspect including former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning who was jailed for stealing classified diplomatic cables.
Dozens more queued in the hallway.
Mangione is also facing federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty.
The judge set a deadline of 9 April to submit pre-trial motions.
Luigi Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson. Pic: Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP
In addition to the New York cases, Mr Mangione also faces charges of forgery, carrying firearms without a licence, and other counts in Pennsylvania, where authorities arrested him at a McDonald’s.
Police say he was in possession of a gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and a handwritten document that expressed “ill will” towards corporate America.
He is being held in a Brooklyn jail alongside several other high-profile defendants, including music mogul and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, and disgraced crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried.
The killing prompted some to voice their resentment at US health insurers, with Mangione attracting a cult following.
A poll taken in the wake of the shooting showed most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials were partly to blame for the incident.
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