Harris Distinguishes Herself From Biden in Fox News Interview

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Washington Crossing, Pa., on Oct. 16, 2024.

Vice President Kamala Harris sought to address criticism regarding the administration’s handling of the border situation, her stance on transgender rights, and her relationship with President Joe Biden during a contentious interview on Fox News Wednesday.

“Let me be very clear, my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency, and like every new president that comes in to office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences and fresh and new ideas,” Harris stated.

The Democratic presidential nominee’s first formal interview with the outlet lasted nearly half an hour, concluding a day where Harris aimed to expand her appeal to conservative voters with an event in suburban Philadelphia featuring numerous Republican officials who had endorsed her campaign. The interview between Harris and Fox chief political anchor Bret Baier was often tense, with both frequently interrupting and speaking over one another.

Baier began the interview by pressing Harris on immigration, an issue voters have identified as one of the defining aspects of the election.

Harris argued that the administration has taken the issue of immigration seriously and that many of the problems they were facing existed before she and Biden assumed office. She criticized Trump for his role in blocking a bipartisan bill that would have provided additional resources to address the border surge.

“We’ve had a broken immigration system transcending by the way Donald Trump’s administration even before. Let’s all be honest about that. I have no pride in saying that this is a perfect immigration system,” she said.

The vice president stated that she and Biden had proposed legislation to address the immigration system within hours of taking office. 

“Our focus has been on fixing a problem,” she stated.

However, Baier pressed Harris on the number of undocumented migrants who had entered the country in recent years, and confronted Harris with a video clip of a family member blaming the Biden-Harris administration for the death of a woman murdered by someone in the country illegally.

When asked if she would apologize to that family, Harris responded that these were “tragic cases.”

“I am so sorry for her loss. I am so sorry for her loss, sincerely,” Harris added. “I feel awful for what she and her family have experienced.”

However, she also insisted that Trump had obstructed efforts to find a bipartisan solution to the problem, saying: “Let’s talk about what is happening right now with an individual who does not want to participate in solutions.”

During the interview, Baier also played an advertisement from the Trump campaign attacking Harris for statements during the 2020 presidential campaign in which she said she would use taxpayer dollars to pay for gender transition surgeries for prisoners. 

Harris responded by citing a recent New York Times report that federal prisoners had received gender affirming care during Trump’s administration.

“I think frankly that ad from the Trump campaign is a little bit of like throwing you know stones when you’re living in a glass house,” Harris stated. “I will follow the law, and it’s a law that Donald Trump actually followed.”

While Harris received praise from supporters who applauded her forceful exchange with Baier, one moment during the discussion seemed destined to become material for future campaign ads. 

When the Fox News host defended Trump by stating the Republican did not actively advocate for the treatment of transgender inmates, Harris said candidates had to take responsibility “for what happened in your administration.”

The statement could provide a convenient soundbite for Trump at a time when Harris’ campaign is seeking to distance itself from Biden. Harris dedicated a significant portion of the Fox interview to arguing that she represented “a new generation of leadership,” after receiving criticism for stating during an interview with The View last week that she could not think of a decision she would have approached differently than the current president.

Still, when asked what voters should move on from—particularly with polls indicating many are dissatisfied with the direction of the country—Harris focused her response on her opponent: “The last decade in which we have been burdened with the kind of rhetoric coming from Donald Trump.”