Vice President Harris on black vote, border, economy

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns in South Carolina as Democrats vote in their primary.

Rhyan Henson : Thank you for joining me. I knew your time was very precious. First question, We know that the DNC has really wanted to put an emphasis on elevating diverse voters this year. Obviously, this is the first official primary for the DNC. You’re here in South Carolina. Talk about what it means. Talk about what the Black vote means for the Biden-Harris campaign, specifically young voters, specifically Black males.

Kamala Harris: Yes. Well, let me start by saying I’m so happy to be back in South Carolina. It’s at least, I think, my third trip to South Carolina in the New Year and I almost I think ten trips to South Carolina since I’ve been vice president. It’s like and South Carolina as a state represents so much of we are the country. And I feel very strongly I know the president does, the way South Carolinians are doing, the way South Carolinians are doing, is a measure of how we’re doing as a country.

And so spending time here is important to help inform our priorities and to make sure that we are actually having an impact. So I think about, for example, the work that we have done around access to high speed internet. We are on track to make sure that every family in America, including in rural America, and South Carolina of course has so many rural communities, has access to and can afford high speed Internet.

I’ll tell you from years ago, spending time in rural parts of South Carolina that point was brought home to me, how many families did not have access? Even small business owners or people with young children needed to do their homework online. So that’s a big issue and that’s a big issue that impacts all people regardless of their race. But if you look at where folks are in terms of rural America, you’re looking at specific demographics.

And of course, you know, when I think about the work that we have done in terms of an HBCU funding. South Carolina and a number of HBCUs – South Carolina State, and looking at and I say that about HBCU, we’ve already invested over $7 billion in our HBCUs and I think that’s something that’s going to mean at least $60 million coming to South Carolina State. So these are some of the issues.

Another issue: what we have done to pardon tens of thousands of people for simple marijuana possession under the federal law, because frankly, nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed. And so these are some of the things that we have done that I think really do resonate with young people, with Black voters and young Black voters, with young Black men. And there’s more to do.

I mean, for example, access to opportunity. A lot of my work and the work of our administration has been to get more money into community banks that will then provide access to capital for young entrepreneurs who want to start a business and have a great idea whether, you know, it be to start as a shop of some sort or just to invest in and think about how they can participate in the manufacturing that we are funding here in South Carolina as it relates to electric vehicles and women’s reproductive rights is an issue that you’ve cared about even before being vice president.

Rhyan Henson: It’s on the ballot this year.

Kamala Harris: Yes. Yes it is

Rhyan Henson: And it’s something that Americans are talking about, especially after Roe v Wade was rolled back a couple of years ago.

Kamala Harris: Yeah

Rhyan Henson: Talk about the importance of that issue to your campaign, to the Biden-Harris administration.

Kamala Harris: Well, let me first talk about it as the priority and issue it is for the American people. I travel around our country, including again here in South Carolina, and women talk to me about this issue, the people who have women in their life talk to me about this issue constantly, which is that the highest court in our land took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people America, from the women of America, the ability to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do. You know, I talk with people around our country, including here in South Carolina, about the fact that we agree one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held belief (indistinguishable) that the government should not be telling you what to do if she choose this, she will be talk to a priest or pastor, rabbi or imam that it should not be the government telling me what to do.

So it’s a big issue and it’s a big issue for that reason. On principle. It’s a big issue in terms of taking freedoms from people. But it’s also a big issue because since that case came down over a year ago, women are suffering. You look at here in South Carolina and some other states that have created such restrictive bans and are criminalizing health care providers, literally providing for jail time for a doctor or nurse who gives reproductive care to their patients.

So it’s it’s real. I mean, it’s real when you think about and I have met women who have miscarriages (indistinguishable).

Rhyan Henson: And what’s your message to those women, especially women in more right-leaning states where obviously they rolled back some of those reproductive rights more than others?

Kamala Harris: Listen, women understand and care like anything about their right to make their own decisions. And we have to trust them to know what’s in their own best interests and to make a decision based on what they know and believe is in their best interests.

Instead of the government or some so-called leaders in the state capitals telling them what they’re supposed to do with their own body. And this transcends party affiliation, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, it transcends race. You know, so many when you think about it generationally, young women who are going to now have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. So it’s a very big issue. And we’ve seen in the last cycle of election, whether it was the midterms or at the end of last year when this issue of freedom was on the ballot. So-called red states, so-called blue states the voters voted.

Rhyan Henson: And switching gears again, 77% of voters believe President Biden’s age is a problem. What do you say to calm those concerns?

Kamala Harris: I work with President Biden every day, whether we are in the Oval Office on Situation Room. And I can tell you, we have in our president somebody who is in full (indistinguishable). We have somebody who thinks (indistinguishable) and we have somebody who cares about the American people and has them in mind every day.

It is President Biden, not previous presidents who talked about it, but President Biden who got done the infrastructure bill, which is now about the billions of dollars that are hitting the streets of America to upgrade roads and bridges and airports. And as President Biden talked about (indistinguishable) who took on the issue of the climate crisis, and now we are on track to invest a trillion dollars in dealing with what are the effects of this extreme weather and what we can do to reduce the impact. It is President Biden who said, hey, we need to take on the issue of student loan debt, because we understand and we understand our young people in particular our young families are burdened by that debt in a way they can’t start a family or buy a house.

So let me tell you about Joe Biden. He thinks in a way that is about the future. He is bold, almost every accomplishment that we have achieved has met with obstacles and those who would not – who would like to stand in the way. And he sees it through.

Rhyan Henson: I think one of the concerns that Americans have about the age is just older people have, you know, more health issues, it’s a real thing. What do you say to those concerns specifically if he had to pass the powers to you for a one second, one minute? Heaven forbid. You know, I ask with all due respect, but, you know, would you are you capable are you ready to step into the role and do whatever the country needs?

Kamala Harris: I am absolutely ready. But thank God our president is in good shape and good health and is ready to lead in our second term.

Rhyan Henson: And the border, you know, was a huge issue, big problem, obviously, when you guys took over office three years later, I think you had a role in kind of shaping the policies that exist now. Talk about, you know, your role in shaping policies of the past three years and explain to Americans why the Biden-Harris administration deserves another term to help continue to fix or reevaluate what’s going on in the world.

Kamala Harris: So it is no secret that we have a broken immigration system and it’s been broken for a long time. I mean, the folks who have been around for a while who are watching this will remember Ronald Reagan was trying to fix it. President Bush was trying to fix it. John McCain was trying to fix it. And thankfully, at least at some point, there was some understanding that this is a bipartisan or non partisan issue.

We need to deal with a broken immigration system. So we came in and the first bill we offered the day after we were inaugurated, President Biden and myself, was a bill to fix this issue, an immigration bill to fix this issue around the border, around the pathway to citizenship. They have not taken it up. Because you see, they’re now openly talking about elected Republicans in Congress and others.

We want to get back to the White House openly saying they prefer to run on the problem than fix the problem.

Rhyan Henson: Can the Biden-Harris administration

Kamala Harris: Wait, let me finish, let me finish. And so we have we have offered to do that as a solution. The solutions are at hand. We have most recently requested $14 billion to put at the border to address the problem. They’re not taking it up because there are Republicans in Congress, elected Republicans who prefer now openly saying we like this as a political issue instead of participating in a solution.

We’re offering a solution we’ve been offering a solution we continue to offer a solution. How is it that somebody who has been elected to be a leader and knows there’s a problem, who knows there’s a solution and will, let it go on for the next nine months when it can be fixed. And that’s what we’re looking at in Washington, D.C., it’s a crying shame in terms of my my work has been to deal with the root causes.

And so I have been able to actually pull together private sector investments in our country to invest over $4.2 billion to address the root causes of why people are leaving specific countries And we’ve seen great success with my initiative, the root causes initiative because here’s the bottom line. A lot of these folks are fleeing a country where they can’t take care of their family and their basic needs.

And thankfully, we have U.S. business leaders who have worked with me saying we need to help them strengthen their economy around not having these folks leave but stay where they are because that’s what they want to do. But we need to provide some assistance in terms of strengthening their economies so that they don’t need to make the trek to come to our country if they don’t want to.

Rhyan Henson: One more quick question about the economy the data’s there. Economy is booming, but a majority not majority of Americans, but a lot of Americans still have concerns about the economy. Where’s the disconnect? How is the Biden-Harris administration bridging that gap?

Kamala Harris: So, listen, we still have work to do, but in the last 48 hours to your point, independent economists have made it clear we have the strongest economy of any nation right now including so-called developed nations.

We have historic low unemployment, including historic low Black unemployment. Wages have outpaced inflation. You look at consumer confidence, all these things that economists talk about we are looking at mortgage rates coming down. We have created over 14 million jobs over 850 (?) new manufacturing. Many here in South Carolina around what we’re going to do around electric vehicle battery production and manufacturing right here in the United States.

So there is good work that has happened under administration (indistinguishable) strengthening the economy. We still have more work to do. No doubt.

Rhyan Henson: And this is probably the easiest question I’m gonna ask you. I know you’re from the Bay Area.

Kamala Harris: Yes I am, born in Oakland

Rhyan Henson: I know you’re so excited for the game next week. What are you thinking?

Kamala Harris: Go, Niners.

Rhyan Henson: Go Niners. You think they’ll get it done?

Kamala Harris: Just if history is any indication. Yeah.

Rhyan Henson: Well, they got Pat now. Pat’s a quarterback.

Kamala Harris: Well, no, listen, I will tell you that there is definitely some talent on the other side. And, you know, we like a good competition. And in fact, that’s why the Super Bowl is what it is. It’s the Super Bowl it’s the best. And then they go at it.

Rhyan Henson: Thank you so much. I appreciate your time. And I’m glad you made it. You’re safe. Hopefully, I’ll see you back in D.C. shortly. Safe. Thank you very much.

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