By Nicholas Nehamas and Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Earlier this week, Vice President Kamala Harris concurred with radio personality Charlamagne Tha God that Donald Trump is a fascist, marking a more assertive critique of her Republican opponent as a perilous authoritarian leader.
In a candid discussion that addressed the worries of Black Americans, Harris was outlining her vision for the country when Charlamagne interjected: “The other is about fascism. Why can’t we just say it?”
“Yes, we can say that,” Harris responded.
Her remarks followed revelations that Mark A. Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chair during Trump’s presidency, referred to Trump as “a fascist to the core” in a new book by journalist Bob Woodward.
Harris’ hour-long session on Tuesday in Detroit with Charlamagne—co-host of the highly popular hip-hop morning radio program “The Breakfast Club,” known for its substantial Black audience—was part of a significant initiative to address declining support among Black voters. She also speculated that the election would be very close.
“This is a margin-of-error race,” she stated. “I’m going to win, but it’s tight.”
Here are five key takeaways from the conversation.
Harris intensified her criticism of Trump as ‘fragile’ yet threatening.
Throughout her time as vice president, some of Harris’ aides have perceived her as overly cautious in public statements. However, when addressing Trump on Tuesday, she was unreserved.
She concurred with Charlamagne that Trump has adopted fascist ideologies and asserted that his policies would “complicate life for working individuals and endanger our democracy.” Republicans have accused Democrats of inciting political violence, including attempts on Trump’s life, by depicting him as a threat to democracy. Trump, in turn, has labeled Harris a fascist multiple times.
On Tuesday, the vice president’s remarks were part of a series of direct challenges to his character and his agenda.
She also criticized him for his admiration of dictators, referencing a report that he had sent significant COVID-19-testing supplies to Russian President Vladimir Putin “while Black individuals were succumbing to the pandemic every day.”
“The man is genuinely quite weak,” Harris remarked. “He’s weak. It reflects weakness to seek the approval and admiration of dictators.”
She sounded nothing like Obama.
Harris employed a markedly different approach to attract Black voters, particularly Black men, compared to former President Barack Obama’s strategy when he campaigned for her last week in Pittsburgh.
Addressing the dwindling excitement among some Black men, causing alarm in the Democratic Party, Obama rebuked them for not appreciating the prospect of having a woman president.
On Tuesday, Charlamagne noted that Obama had been “finger-waving at Black men” and inquired about when anti-Harris white voters would face similar scrutiny.
“What is happening is that we are all working to remind people of what’s at stake,” Harris responded.
Contrasting her policies with Trump’s, she enumerated various proposals.
She articulated that her child tax credit initiative and efforts to lower prescription drug prices would benefit the Black community. She also detailed a plan to offer 1 million loans that could forgive up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs. She asserted that her economic policies would boost “homeownership in the Black community.”
Additionally, Harris emphasized her objective to legalize marijuana, asserting that it would particularly aid Black men. “I understand how those laws have disproportionately affected specific populations, particularly Black men,” she noted, after dismissing inquiries about the accusation that she actively sought to incarcerate Black men for marijuana-related offenses.
Too rehearsed? She insists she is just ‘disciplined.’
Charlamagne began the interview by mentioning Harris has faced criticism for appearing “very rehearsed” and adhering to her “key messages” in previous media appearances.
“That would be deemed disciplined,” she retorted.
Charlamagne challenged her on border issues.
One of the most tense moments of the interview occurred when Charlamagne confronted Harris regarding one of her major political weaknesses: the U.S.-Mexico border situation.
She adopted a defensive posture.
When the radio host queried if President Joe Biden’s administration should bear responsibility for the rising numbers of illegal crossings during most of his term, Harris reiterated her standard defense that the White House had backed a bipartisan border security legislation that would have significantly reduced asylum applications. Republicans thwarted the bill at Trump’s behest, as he preferred not to see Democrats achieve an election-year success.
However, the dialogue also contained a rare mention from Harris about Trump’s attempts to label her the “border czar.” Biden did not assign her the role of managing border policy but rather directing efforts to alleviate poverty and corruption in Central America to prevent potential migrants from departing.
“If I reacted to every label he threw at me, I wouldn’t be able to focus on the initiatives that genuinely benefit the American populace,” Harris stated concerning Trump.
In an uncommon moment, she spoke about her faith and her identity as a Black woman.
On Tuesday, a Detroit pastor questioned Harris about criticisms regarding her lack of engagement with the Black church, purportedly originating from the Trump campaign.
“I was raised in the Black church. I grew up going to 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, California,” Harris shared. “My pastor is Amos C. Brown from Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, California.”
She also attempted to turn the tables on Trump, known for his weak ties to faith and a lengthy history of racist remarks, alluding to him as a charlatan.
“He’s peddling $60 Bibles or sneakers and trying to deceive people into thinking that equates to a deeper understanding of the Black community,” she asserted. “Come on.”
