October 15, 2024 – Vice President Kamala Harris faced sharp questioning from radio host Charlamagne Tha God in an audio town hall. The call, which aired Monday, was Charlamagne versus Harris regarding the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border crisis, and highlights some ongoing frustrations with Democrats. The debate quickly went viral, straining Harris’ campaign during an already-pressured election season.
Charlamagne did not hold back, questioning Harris directly: “Doesn’t the Biden administration have to take some blame for the border, though? A lot of the blame? The first three years, you all did get a lot of things wrong” . Harris responded by emphasizing that the administration had sought comprehensive immigration reform from the beginning of their term. “No, we proposed MASS AMNESTY on day one!” she argued, pointing to legislative hurdles that have hampered progress.
The town hall moved into voter education, too. Why didn’t prominent people such as Hillary Clinton and Liz Cheney try to reach white women voters, Charlamagne said, by likening the former President Obama to his recent outreach efforts to Black men? “Obama was out there last week waving his finger at black men. When are Liz Cheney and Hillary Clinton going to wave their finger at white women?” he asked.
The interaction concluded on an awkward note as the town hall session ended abruptly while Harris was still speaking, leaving listeners with an unfinished message. Clips of the town hall quickly went viral, with critics and supporters alike dissecting Harris’ responses on social media.
It showed how difficult the Harris campaign is going through the prospect of facing voter unhappiness and opposition within the party. At a little over a month into the 2016 presidential race, Harris’ response to these questions could be critical to obtaining votes and steering her campaign’s message.
For more information on the town hall, please see Fox News and Newsweek.
