GOP takes aim at Harris -- even though she doesn't have the nomination yet

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

While Vice President Harris has yet to secure the Democratic Party's nomination, Republicans are already trying to tie her to President Biden's biggest challenges, including immigration and inflation. NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez covers the Trump campaign, and he's here with us to tell us more. Good morning, Franco.

FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.

MARTIN: So what was the initial response from Donald Trump's camp about Biden stepping down?

ORDOÑEZ: I mean, they say it doesn't matter. I mean, soon after Biden did drop out, Trump went on Truth Social and said he didn't care who he faces on the left and said they're all just more of the same. But the campaign pivoted to Harris, even calling her the, quote, "enabler-in-chief." They're accusing her of concealing Biden's physical and mental fitness issues. They're really looking to paint Harris and Biden as one in the same, saying they're, quote, "no distance between the two" and that she could have and didn't do anything when inflation was skyrocketing or the border was in chaos.

MARTIN: You were in Grand Rapids, where Trump held his first rally with his new running mate, J.D. Vance. This was before the announcement, but they were already attacking Harris, I take it.

ORDOÑEZ: Yeah, I mean, they were kind of workshopping attacks. And Vance particularly wasted no time going after Harris, even alluding to the idea that she wasn't working hard, and he was.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

J D VANCE: I don't know Kamala. I did serve in the United States Marine Corps and build a business. What the hell have you done, other than collect a check?

(CHEERING)

ORDOÑEZ: You know, and she - he accused Harris of being Biden's, quote, "border czar" during record-breaking migration.

MARTIN: But Franco, to be fair, immigration has been part of Harris' portfolio in the White House, hasn't it?

ORDOÑEZ: I mean, it has, in a way, while she was tasked with leading efforts to address the root causes of migration. That's working with Latin American governments. She was, though, never specifically appointed to, say, fixing the border, like a so-called czar might. And that but - you know, that really hasn't stopped Republicans from attacking her on the border. It's really become a Republican talking point. The Republican National Committee, for example, put out a video Sunday attacking Harris. It started like this.

(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD, "THE TRUTH ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS")

UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: Warning - the following may upset liberals who don't want voters to know the truth about Kamala Harris.

ORDOÑEZ: You know, and they use selective cuts, aggressive language. And they really went on the attack at Harris over immigration and really charged that she neglected the border, which, again - not necessarily her area.

MARTIN: Well, they wouldn't be attacking her if she weren't a threat in some way, right? They could ignore her. So where does Harris pose the greatest threat to the Trump campaign?

ORDOÑEZ: Right. I mean, publicly, they say they're not worried and that it's all - it's the same issues and the same policies. I can tell you, though, that Trump's supporters would rather face Biden. And if we could go back to Grand Rapids for a second, at one point, Trump actually polled the crowd, asking who they'd rather run against.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DONALD TRUMP: So who would you like to most run against if you're us - if we want to win? Ready? Kamala Harris.

(BOOING)

TRUMP: Crooked Joe Biden.

(CHEERING)

ORDOÑEZ: And look, I mean, they're not the same person. They have different strengths and different weaknesses. The Trump campaign has spent a lot of resources targeting Biden's mental acuity, and that attack line doesn't work against Harris, who is nearly two decades younger than Trump. She's also a leading voice for Democrats on abortion - a huge issue for voters and a big vulnerability for Trump. And she polls better with young voters and voters of color. Plus, she might perform better with suburban women. All these groups are going to be very critical in this upcoming year's election.

MARTIN: That is NPR's Franco Ordoñez. Franco, thank you.

ORDOÑEZ: Thank you, Michel. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.