In the prime-time special, the vice president faced questions on the Middle East, Ukraine, taxes, and more.
With the election only 28 days away, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat down for an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.” They discussed a wide range of topics including ongoing wars, the economy, and immigration, while also addressing criticisms directed at them.
In the pre-taped interview, Harris was asked to clarify her shifting positions on fracking and border security.
“I have been traveling our country, and I have been listening to folks and seeking what is possible in terms of common ground,” Harris responded. “I believe in building consensus.”
The prime-time special on CBS is part of the Harris campaign’s final push to sway independent voters. According to recent polls, Harris and former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, are tied in all seven battleground states.
In prior interviews, Harris stunned people by revealing that she owned a gun.
“I have a Glock, and I’ve had it for quite some time,” the vice president told CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker during the interview when asked what type of gun she owned. “My background is in law enforcement.”
When asked if she had ever fired it, Harris replied, “Of course, at a shooting range.”
The interview started with questions on ongoing tensions in the Middle East, particularly following Iran’s missile attacks on Israel in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.
The Israeli government pledged to retaliate, although it’s unclear if it will target the Iranian leadership and its nuclear program. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been seeking to avoid a full-fledged conflict in the Middle East.
When asked whether the administration has lost its sway over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris said: “We’re not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”
Harris was also asked about how she planned to end the war in Ukraine and what success would mean for her.
“There will be no success in ending that war without Ukraine and the U.N. Charter participating in what that success looks like,” she responded.
The vice president also stated that she would not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin bilaterally without Ukraine’s attendance.
“Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine,” she said. She criticized Trump, stating that his plan to end the war would mean “surrender.”
Harris also faced several questions regarding the funding of her economic plan, which included the expansion of the child tax credit.
Harris maintained her position that she would increase taxes on the wealthy. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the vice president’s plan is projected to raise the debt by $3.5 trillion over the next decade.
When questioned about Congress’s lack of willingness to raise taxes and how she would achieve consensus on the matter, Harris became defensive.
“I disagree with you,” she told Whitaker, noting that there are “a lot of folks in Congress” who agree with her on taxes.
“I am a devout public servant. You know that I am also a capitalist, and I know the limitations of government,” she added.
In a separate interview with 60 Minutes, Walz was asked whether he could be trusted after falsely claiming he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
“I can. I think I can,” Walz stated. “I will own up to being a knucklehead at times, but the folks closest to me know that I keep my word.”
During the interview, the Harris team sent out an email urging donors to support her campaign.
“The New York Times recently released polls of Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina. Unfortunately, Trump leads in all three states,” the email said, requesting donors to contribute $25 to help meet their fundraising goals.
Trump declined to participate in an interview with “60 Minutes” for its election special. According to the network, he changed his mind after initially agreeing to a sit-down at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last Thursday. The communications director for the Trump campaign, Steven Cheung, said on Oct. 1 that despite initial discussions, “nothing was ever scheduled or locked in.”