DETROIT — Vice President Harris tried to address criticism that Democrats too often take Black voters for granted during a town hall on Tuesday with the influential radio host Charlamagne tha God.
Harris defended her track record as a prosecutor, promoted her policies aimed at Black voters and said former President Donald Trump was a threat to democracy.
When Charlamagne suggested that Trump's vision for the country should be called fascism, adding "Why can't we just say it?" Harris replied: “Yeah, we can say that."
Harris’ remarks came at a crucial moment in the campaign, as polls show her struggling to cement the level of support she may need from Black men to win the White House. At the same time, Trump has appeared to make inroads among Black voters, worrying Democrats in a historically-close election.
That concern was underscored in remarks by former President Barack Obama in Pittsburgh last week. He said the lack of enthusiasm for Harris “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” which he attributed to a reluctance to vote for a woman.
When a caller asked Harris why Democrats were “waving the finger at Black men” even as Trump is gaining support among other demographic groups, Harris sidestepped the question, saying, “I think what what is happening is that we are all working on reminding people what is at stake, and that is very important.”
Harris took on mis- and disinformation about her record
Harris defended criticism that she is too scripted as being disciplined, and sought to reclaim the narrative about her record, saying her work on behalf of the Black community has been warped by her political rivals.
“One of the biggest challenges that I face is mis- and disinformation,” Harris said. “It is meant to convince people that they somehow should not believe that the work that I have done has occurred, and has meaning.”
“Part of the challenge that I face is that they are trying to scare people away, because they know they otherwise have nothing to run on,” Harris said. "Ask Donald Trump what his plan is for Black America. Ask him.”
Harris plugged her plans to provide forgiveable loans to entrepreneurs, tax breaks for small business start-ups, down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers, Medicare benefits for home care, and tax credits for low- and middle-income families as measures that would help Black Americans.
Harris was asked about her record as a prosecutor and criticism from her opponents that during her time as district attorney of San Francisco she targeted thousands of Black men for prosecution.
Harris called those claims “simply not true,” saying she was “the most progressive prosecutor in California on marijuana cases.” Harris said she did not send people to jail for simple possession of marijuana, and vowed that as president she would work on decriminalizing marijuana altogether.
Harris also took on criticism from Trump for a lack of engagement with the Black church. She responded by speaking about growing up in the Black church and attending the 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, Calif.
“I know where our church, and my church is about saying true leadership, the measure of that is based on who you lift up,” Harris said. “And then he's selling $60 Bibles or tennis shoes and trying to play people, as though that makes him more understanding of the Black community. Come on.”
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