AP Photo/Matt Rourke
by Marco Cerino, Philadelphia Tribune Staff Writer
Vice President Kamala Harris sat down Tuesday for a Q&A with members of the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia — just weeks after former President Donald Trump did the same at their national convention.
Harris’ 45-minute interview took a very different tone than Trump’s. While reporters Tonya Mosley of NPR, Gerren Keith Gaynor of The Grio and Eugene Daniels of Politico challenged Harris at times on topics like gun policy, Israel and the economy, she was respectful and not combative.
Harris also created a contrast between herself and the former president when addressing the controversy over false claims regarding Haitian immigrants in Ohio. She discussed an awareness of the “impact of my words” from her previous elected offices and how she sees the responsibility that goes with the power and prestige of the presidency.
“When you have that kind of microphone in front of you, you really ought to understand at a very deep level how much your words have meaning,” she told the crowd of about 180 attendees. “When you are bestowed with a microphone that is that big, there is a profound responsibility that comes with that. It is an extension of … the public trust and understanding what that public trust means. It means that you have been invested with a trust to be responsible in ways you use your words, how you conduct yourself.”
This is the first election since 2000 that both major party candidates participated in Q&A sessions with the association’s members. Harris was unable to meet with members during the convention due to scheduling conflicts, so this event at WHYY’s studios in Old City was a seeming compromise.
Harris went through the gamut of policy questions. She pledged to cap the costs of child care at 7% of income, citing it as a major reason women left the workforce during the pandemic, along with restoring the child tax credit to $6,000 for the first year of a child’s life.
She also committed to supporting a two-state resolution to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire, return of hostages, no new land seizures by Israel, and barring Iran from further interference in the region.
Harris also repeated many of the pledges she has made in the past, from restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade to providing a $50,000 tax credit for new businesses. She said her administration was responsible for the lowest Black unemployment in generations and the most small businesses started in decades.
While many affinity groups, particularly in the Black community, have organized in support of Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee is not taking anything for granted. When asked about support among Black men, a group targeted by Republicans with negative messaging and attempts to convince those who thought Trump’s economy better suited their desires, she acknowledged that some feel alienated and underserved.
“I think it’s very important to not operate from the assumption that Black men are in anybody’s pocket,” she said. “Black men are like any other voting group — you got to earn their vote, so I’m working to earn their vote, not assuming I’m going to be handed it because I’m Black, but because the policies and perspectives I have understand what we must do to recognize the needs of all communities, and I intend to be a president for all people.”
One week after her impressive performance in the presidential debate held just across the street from WHYY’s studios, Harris seemed even more comfortable with this setting. Her answers showed an empathy and understanding that hasn’t always come through the cacophony of this campaign.
While she talked about her mother’s journey toward homeownership, not every answer included a personal story. She acknowledged the costs — financial and personal — of taking care of loved ones of all ages. She talked about how the mothers of homicide victims in San Francisco asked for her by name, knowing she would treat them with dignity. She mentioned that bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio, over accusations against Haitian immigrants had canceled school picture day, referring to the false stories as “a crying shame.”
The event was organized as an opportunity for NABJ members and students from historically Black colleges and universities to see professionals interview the vice president, as they did with Trump’s appearance at the convention in July.
When asked about the “joyful warrior” persona that has traveled with Harris during the campaign, including in attack ads that try to show her laughing as a lack of seriousness, Harris had a message to the students and others.
“There are some times when your adversaries will try to turn your strength into a weakness,” she said. “Don’t you let them. I find joy in the American people.”
Harris continues her campaign with seven weeks to go before Election Day on Nov. 5.
[email protected]; 215-893-5700
This story originally appeared in the Philadelphia Tribune
About Post Author
