Harris interview with NABJ explores what’s possible

By Solomon Jones | WURD Radio

There were very few surprises during Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris’ interview with the National Association of Black Journalists at WHYY.

When NPR’s Tonya Mosley asked Harris about the scourge of handguns, the Vice President referenced universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.  

Harris also stuck to her previous talking points on the Gaza conflict, citing the brutality of the October 7^th Hamas attack, and pointing out Israel’s right of self-defense. As Eugene Daniels of Politico followed up, Harris said her policy would be to seek a cease fire, push for the return of Israeli hostages, and bring about a two-state solution.

None of those answers were new. However, there were one or two nuggets we hadn’t heard before. Harris said she’d spoken with Donald Trump earlier in the day, checking on his wellbeing in the wake of Sunday’s alleged assassination attempt. While answering a question about Black men who are considering voting for Trump, Harris acknowledged the very thing that Trump has repeatedly baited her about—her Blackness. 

“I appreciate the spirit of the question,” she said. “But I’ll tell you, I’ve often been asked this question in a way that and I’ve had to respond by first saying that I think it’s very important to not operate from the assumption that Black men are in anybody’s pocket. Black men are like any other voting group. You gotta earn their vote, so I’m working to earn the vote. Not assuming I’m going to have it because I am Black, but because the policies and the perspective that I have understands what we must do to recognize the needs of all communities, and I intend to be a president for all people.”

She was also asked about Donald Trump repeating debunked rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Harris talked about the threats the Haitian community—including children—received in response to Trump’s false claims.  

“It’s a crying shame,” she said. “I mean my heart breaks for this community. You know there were elementary school children. It was school photo day.  You remember what that’s like? Going to school on picture day? who dressed up in their best, got all ready, knew what they were gonna wear the night before, and had to be evacuated. Children. Children. A whole community put in fear…”

Harris said that Trump is spewing lies that are grounded in age-old tropes. She said his words are designed to divide Americans and leave us pointing fingers at each other. 

“I think that most people in our country, regardless of their race, are starting to see through this nonsense,” Harris said. “, ‘You know what, let’s turn the page on this. It’s exhausting, it’s harmful and it’s hateful. And it’s grounded in some age-old stuff that we should not have the tolerance for.’”

It was a message that one could see outside the studio, on 6^th Street, as a small crowd of people leaned over a security gate in the hours before Harris arrived. 

An elderly bearded man stood stoically behind several Trump signs. One of them said “Trump vs. Tramp.” Another said “Kamala loves Hamas.”  

A few feet away from him was a woman with a multicultural group of 10 school-aged children who leaned forward each time a car passed by, excitedly shouting “That’s Kamala Harris!” it didn’t matter that she wasn’t in the vehicles. The children seemed excited by the possibilities.

In the final weeks of the race for the White House, possibility is on the ballot. And after her interview with the NABJ, is it possible for Harris to win?