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2 1 CREW: 2 3 Ready to start [inaudible] VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. And then, you know that mold is at an all-time 4 high today. 5 6 7 8 9 10 MR. BILL WHITAKER: I did not. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Which is the one thing I am allergic to. MR. BILL WHITAKER: CREW: [inaudible] VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. Yeah? 11 Pollen is down. 12 13 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Mold is up. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mold is 14 up. 15 CREW: That’s it. Just take them off. 16 17 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: You know how I know that, as a matter of fact? Because I 18 was watching CBS this morning. 19 21 23 222222 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Oh, right? 20 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: And they had a little streamy thing. 24 25 MR. BILL WHITAKER: There you go. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Now that I think about it. MR. BILL WHITAKER: You learn something
3 1 new every day. 2 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Indeed. 3 CREW: [inaudible] I’m going to just 4 slap it once. Good? 5 CREW: Yep. 6 CREW: Coming around. John? 7 CREW: Yeah? 8 CREW: Got it on both? 9 CREW: Okay, so we need to clear the 10 background. 11 CREW: [inaudible] 12 CREW: Yes. 13 CREW: Thank you, Tim. 14 15 16 problem. 17 [inaudible] 18 19 8 222 20 21 CREW: Thank you. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: No Just do what you need to do. CREW: CREW: Everybody set? CREW: Rolling, perfectly happy. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Everybody happy? CREW: Looks good. 22 23 222 CREW: [inaudible] looks great. MR. BILL WHITAKER: You good? 24 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I’m 25 good.
1 2 MR. BILL WHITAKER: All right. Well, Madam Vice President, I want to thank you for 3 doing this, and thank you for inviting us into 4 your home. 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Of 6 7 8 9 course. Of course. MR. BILL WHITAKER: We’re going to be running this on the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. 10 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yeah. 11 October 7th. 12 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So let’s just start 13 with Israel. 14 CREW: Hang on one second, Bill. 15 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Yeah. 16 17 18 19 192 24 25 CREW: Sorry, we had someone in the background, and I’m afraid you’re going to have to re-ask that. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay, 20 whoever’s in the dining room? 21 22222 23 WOMAN: It was me. Sorry. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. MR. BILL WHITAKER: So yeah, just start with Israel. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay.
5 1 MR. BILL WHITAKER: The events of the 2 past few weeks have pushed us to the brink, if not into an all-out regional war in the Middle 3 4 East. 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mm-hmm. 6 7 MR. BILL WHITAKER: What can the U.S. do at this point to stop this from spinning out 8 of control? 9 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 10 let’s start with October 7th. Because obviously, 11 what we do now must be in the context of what has 12 happened. And as I reflect on a year ago, and 13 that 1,200 people were massacred, young people at 14 a festival, at a music festival, 250 hostages 15 were taken, including Americans, women were 18 19 20 16 brutally raped. And as I said then, I maintain 17 Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. And as we fast forward into what we have seen in the ensuing weeks and months, far 21 22 too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. And we know that, and I think most agree, this 23 war has to end. And that has to be our number 24 one imperative, and that has been our number one 25 imperative. How can we get this war to end?
60 1 2 3 4 Well, critical elements of that are we have got to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done. We have to we have to get aid in. We have to lay the path toward a two-state solution. I do believe that we must maintain that as an 5 6 objective, no matter how out of reach it seems at 7 the moment. And the work that we have to do is 8 also pay attention to what is happening every day 9 in the region and put U.S. resources into 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 everything we can do, diplomatically and otherwise, to de-escalate what is happening in the region. MR. BILL WHITAKER: We supply Israel with billions of dollars in military aid. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mm-hmm. MR. BILL WHITAKER: And yet Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to be charting his own 18 course. The Biden Administration, the Biden- 19 Harris Administration has pressed him to agree to 20 20 a ceasefire, he’s resisted. You urged him not to 21 go into Lebanon, he went in anyway. He has 22 promised to make Iran pay for the missile attack, 23 and that has the potential of expanding the war. 24 Does the U.S. have no sway over Prime Minister 25 Netanyahu?
7 1 2 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: let’s start with this. On this subject, the aid Well, 3 that we have given Israel allowed Israel to 4 defend itself against 200 ballistic missiles that 5 were just meant to attack the Israelis, and the 6 7 8 9 10 people of Israel. And I think that is the most recent example of why what we do to assist in their defense around military aid is important. And when we think about the threat that Hamas, Hezbollah presents Iran, I think that it is 11 without any question our imperative to do what we 12 can to allow Israel to defend itself against 13 those kinds of attacks. 14 Now, the work that we do diplomatically 15 with the leadership of Israel is an ongoing 16 pursuit around making clear our principles, which 17 include the need for humanitarian aid, the need 18 for this war to end, the need for a deal to be 19 done which would release the hostages, and create 20 a ceasefire. And we’re not going to stop in terms 21 of putting that pressure on Israel, and in the 22 region, including with other leaders in the 23 region, including Arab leaders. 24 24 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But it seems that 25 Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening. The
8 1 Wall Street Journal said that he 2 — that your administration has repeatedly been blindsided by 3 Netanyahu, and in fact, he has rebuffed just 4 about all of your administration’s entreaties. 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 6 Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in 7 a number of movements in that region by Israel 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 that were very much prompted by, or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And we’re not going to stop doing that. We are 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. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Just one last thing. Do we have a real close ally in Prime Minister Netanyahu? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I think, 19 with all due respect, the better question is do 20 we have an important alliance between the 21 American people and the Israeli people. And the 22 answer to that question is yes. And we are going 23 to do what is important to support whatever 24 leadership is in Israel, that is defending the 25 security of the State of Israel.
9 1 2 3 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Let’s shift gears here, and most basic of questions, why do you want to be President of the United States? 4 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: There 5 are many reasons. But probably first and 6 foremost, I truly believe in the promise of 7 8 9 10 11 12 America. I do. And I love the American people. You know, we are a people who have ambition and aspirations and dreams, and optimism and hope. If you look at the character of who we are, and how we have achieved the strength that we have achieved, I believe in large part it is because of our character, and our belief in the promise 13 14 of America. And I’m running for President 15 because I want to do everything that is possible 16 17 to create an opportunity for people to achieve those goals, those ambitions, and those dreams. 18 And that is why you will hear me talk 19 about my plan for an opportunity economy, to 20 invest in what we can do not only to bring the 21 cost of living and prices down for folks, because 22 even though we’ve achieved a lot of success, 23 prices are still too high. You know it, I know 24 25 it. But what we can do to invest in the innovation that is happening in startups, in our
10 1 small businesses, what we can do to invest in the 2 industries of the future, what we can do to 3 maintain America’s strength in the global 4 context. 5 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But that’s why you 6 want to run. That’s why you want to be 7 President. 8 9 why I’m running. 10 11 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That’s That, and some other reasons. MR. BILL WHITAKER: But you’re asking the American people to make you the most powerful 12 person on the planet. 13 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mm-hmm. 14 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Why do you deserve 15 the American people’s votes? 16 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 17 first of all, I have a career and a history of 18 19 being very clear that I think of my role of leadership, and in particular now, for the last 20 four years as Vice President, and moving forward 21 as President, if the voters will have me, as 22 being a leader on behalf of all Americans. As 23 you know, I spent the majority of my career as a 24 25 prosecutor. And I’m going to tell you, I never asked a victim of crime, a witness whether they
11 1 were a Democrat, are you a Republican, are you an 2 Independent? The only thing I ever asked folks 3 is, are you okay? And I believe that America 4 deserves a leader who works on behalf of all 5 Americans, and understands the importance of 6 knowing that the vast majority of us have so much 7 8 more in common than what separates us. And my career and my work has always 9 been about being grounded in common sense 10 11 approaches to getting things done. And when it comes to what we need to do as it relates to 12 national security, we just had that conversation, 13 14 that includes understanding and respecting the power and the strength of the United States of 15 America, and our then responsibility to be a global leader, to nurture and strengthen our 16 17 alliances around the world, to respect the U.S. 18 military, and its most noble mission, to do the 19 work of appreciating alliances, be it NATO or 20 others, to do the work of pursuing diplomacy when 21 it is in the best interest of our national 22 22 23 24 security and prosperity. And my experiences tell me not only that those must be priorities of the United 25 States of America, and the President of the
12 1 United States of America, and the Commander in 2 Chief of the United States of America, but also, 3 all of those experiences tell me that the 4 American people in this election have a clear choice. Because on the other side of the 5 6 equation, we are looking at the Former President 7 Donald Trump, who has shown himself to be, when 8 he was a commander in chief, someone who gave 9 away America’s standing in terms of our 10 principles of standing up to dictators and 11 autocrats. You see how he compliments Putin even 12 today, someone who was prepared to walk away from 13 14 15 16 our alliances. NATO is the strongest military alliance the world has ever known. We have seen someone, in Donald Trump, who openly criticizes the United States military, men and women who are 17 prepared to at great sacrifice serve our country, 18 and defend the principles upon which we were 19 founded. He calls them suckers and losers. 20 20 21 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But Madam Vice President, a quarter of registered voters still 22 say they don’t know you, they don’t know what 23 makes you tick. And why do you think that is? 24 mean, you have been vice president for almost 25 four years. You’ve been on the national scene I
13 1 2 3 4 for longer. What’s the disconnect? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: It’s an election, Bill. And I take it seriously that I have to earn everyone’s vote. And that’s why I’m 5 traveling our country. I’ve seen you in a few 6 7 8 states in the last couple of days, I am talking folks where they live. I am listening to folks, and working to earn the vote of every American. 9 This is an election for President of the United 10 States. No one should be able to take for 11 12 granted that they can just declare themselves a candidate, and automatically receive support. You have to earn it. And that’s what I intend to 13 14 do. 15 16 17 18 19 reason MR. BILL WHITAKER: Let me tell you what your critics, and the columnists say. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. MR. BILL WHITAKER: They say that the so many voters don’t know you is that you 20 have changed your position on so many things. 21 You were against fracking, now you’re for it. 22 You supported looser immigration policies, now 23 you’re tightening them up. You were for Medicare 24 for all, now you’re not. So many that people 25 don’t truly know what you believe, or what you
14 1 stand for. And I know you’ve heard that. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So let’s be clear. First of all, a lot of the positions 2 3 4 that you were talking about have been discussed 6 7 8 5 and dispensed with in 2020, four years ago. But let me be clear on something. In the last four years I have been Vice President of the United States. Not a senator 9 from a particular state, not coming from a particular state, but Vice President of the 10 11 United States of America. And I have been 12 traveling our country, and I have been listening 13 to folks, and seeking what is possible in terms 14 of common ground, common sense solutions, 15 building consensus. And that is why I have taken 16 the positions that I take, not dispensing with my 17 values, but understanding we have to — a real 18 leader has to find consensus. 19 199 So for example, on the issue of 20 fracking, I’ve been very clear since 2020, I will 21 not end fracking. I did not, as Vice President. 22 In fact, as Vice President of the United States, 23 I cast the decisive vote. I broke the tie in 24 Congress that now allows more leases for 25 fracking.
15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 On the issue of healthcare in America, my value has always been that access to healthcare should be a right, and not just a privilege of those who can afford it. Which is why I cast the tie-breaking vote in the United States Congress that has now allowed us to cap the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 a month. The work that I have been a part of, and helped lead about capping the cost of prescription medication for our seniors at $2,000 a year, all born out of my belief that we need to bring the price of medication down because it has been too 13 expensive for too many people, to the point that 14 15 they couldn’t even afford to fill their prescription. That’s why I’ve been a huge 16 advocate for what we have accomplished, finally, 17 to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices on 18 behalf of the American people. 19 199 MR. BILL WHITAKER: You have said that 20 your values haven’t changed, but your positions 21 22 23 24 25 have. And I think people want to know is this evolution, or as your critics say, opportunism. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I think that we should understand the importance of a leader building consensus. I believe in building
16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 consensus. And I believe in finding a way that the American people, and we are a diverse people, geographically, regionally, based on whether it be urban, rural, agricultural, we are a diverse people in terms of where we are in our backgrounds. And what the American people do want is that we have leaders who can build consensus, where we can figure out compromise, and understand it’s not a bad thing, as long as you don’t compromise your values, to find common sense solutions. And that has been my approach. Let’s move on to 12 MR. BILL WHITAKER: 13 the economy. As you were saying Well, first — 14 15 of all, the economy and inflation, those are the primary concerns of the American voters this 16 election year. 17 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mm-hmm. 18 19 20 21 MR. BILL WHITAKER: You just got some blockbuster jobs report, a blockbuster job report the other day, and there are lots of signs that the American economy is doing very well, better 22 than most countries, I think. But the American 23 people don’t seem to be feeling it. Groceries 24 24 are 25% higher than when you took office, and 25 people are blaming you and Joe Biden for that.
17 1 Are they wrong? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So you are correct that under our leadership, the United 2 3 4 States of America has recovered, and is stronger 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 than any other so-called developed nation in the world, in particular after the crisis that was the pandemic. And understand, we came into office facing a disaster, in large part because of the mismanagement of the Former President Donald Trump, where the economy was in a slump, people were dying by the hundreds. It was a real crisis. But because of our approach and our work, we now have historic low unemployment in 14 America, among all groups of people. We now have 15 16 17 18 an economy that is thriving by all macroeconomic measures. We have recovered in a way that we have created almost 800,000 new manufacturing jobs. We have created over 16 million new jobs 19 as a whole. 20 20 And to your point prices are still too 21 high. 22 23 And I know that, and we need to deal with it. Which is why part of my plan, you mentioned groceries, part of my plan is what we must do to 24 bring down the price of groceries. I’m taking on 25 an issue I’ve taken on before as Attorney
1 18 General, the issue of price gouging. Which is 2 not all, but some corporations and businesses 3 that take advantage of a crisis, and jack prices 4 up, making the cost of groceries and other 5 everyday essentials too expensive for the 6 American people. 7 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But you’re 8 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I’m taking on the issue of housing. It’s a big issue 9 10 in our country. It’s too expensive. 11 There were generations before us that believed they could 12 achieve the American dream, which included home 14 13 ownership. Now I travel our country, I talk to young people every day, and they are so concerned 15 they’ll never be able to afford to buy a home, or 16 even start a family, because of the cost of 17 housing. So part of my plan is to put the 18 resources into partnering with builders and developers, to create incentives for them to 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 build 3 million new homes by the end of my first term. And my plan includes giving first-time homebuyers a $25,000 down payment assistance so they can just get their foot in the door. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Well, let’s talk about that. You want to expand the Child Tax
19 1 Credit. 2 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yes, I 3 do. 4 5 6 7 MR. BILL WHITAKER: You want to give tax breaks to first-time homebuyers. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yes. MR. BILL WHITAKER: And people starting 8 small businesses. 9 10 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Right. MR. BILL WHITAKER: But it is estimated 11 by the Nonpartisan Committee for Responsible 12 Federal Budget that your economic plan would add $3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 13 14 decade. How are you going to pay for that? 15 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. 16 So the other economists that have reviewed my 17 plan versus my opponent, because this is an 18 election and there are two choices, everyone from 19 Goldman Sachs to Moody’s to 16 Nobel laureates, 20 21 22 23 24 25 so on the first point, comparing my economic plan to Donald Trump’s economic plan, they have reviewed it, and determined that my economic plan would strengthen America’s economy, his would weaken it. Sixteen Nobel laureates, Moody’s, others have determined, after reviewing what
20 1 Donald Trump is proposing, that he would induce 2 inflation, increase inflation, and bring about a 3 recession by the middle of next year. 4 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But — 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: My plan, 6 Bill, if you don’t mind, my plan is about saying 7 that when you invest in small businesses, you 8 9 10 11 invest in the middle class, and you strengthen America’s economy. Small businesses are part of the backbone of America’s economy MR. BILL WHITAKER: But pardon me, 12 Madam Vice President, the question was how are 13 you going to pay for it? 14 15 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, one of the things is I’m going to make sure that 16 the richest among us, who can afford it, pay 17 their fair share in taxes. Listen, again, my 18 opponent, when he was President, issued a tax cut 19 for people like himself, billionaires, and the 20 biggest corporations. My perspective is 21 everybody needs to pay their fair share. It is 22 not right that teachers and nurses and 23 24 25 firefighters are paying a higher tax rate than billionaires, and the biggest corporations. MR. BILL WHITAKER: But, but
21 1 2 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: And I plan on making that fair. 3 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But we’re dealing 4 5 with the real world here. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: But the 6 real world includes — 7 MR. BILL WHITAKER: How are you going 8 to get this through Congress? 9 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 10 you know, when you talk quietly with a lot of 11 folks in Congress, they know exactly what I’m 12 13 14 15 16 17 talking about, because their constituents know exactly what I’m talking about. Their constituents are those firefighters and teachers and nurses. Their constituents are middle class hard-working folk who know that it is not right that hard-working people are paying a higher tax 18 rate than the richest people, who can afford to 19 20 20 21 pay their fair share. So that’s how we deal with it. But understand also that this is 22 yes, it is about how we pay for what we’re doing, 23 but understand it’s not — it doesn’t end there. 24 My plan is actually about strengthening America’s 25 economy. Not just netting zero, my plan is about
22 1 doing what we can do for small businesses and 2 startups. Right now, the tax deduction bill for 3 4 a startup, $5,000. In 2024, nary a person is going to be able to start a small business with 5 $5,000. So I’m going to extend it to $50,000. 6 My plan is about what we need to do, 7 8 9 10 11 and yes, expand the Child Tax Credit. Because for young families, for the first year of their child’s life, $6,000 allows them to buy a crib, a car seat, and just be able to not just get by, but get ahead for that most critical stage of their 12 child’s development. We all benefit from that. 13 We all benefit from that. 14 MR. BILL WHITAKER: I understand. But 15 that sounds great — 16 it does, it all sounds good. But the reality is these tax cuts have been in 17 place for years. 18 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: They’re 19 about to expire. 20 20 22 23 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Yes, and Congress 21 has shown no inclination to move in your direction. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I 24 disagree with you. There are plenty of leaders 25 in Congress who understand and know that the
23 1 Trump tax cuts blew up our federal deficit, and 2 care about the deficit in a way that they know we must address it by making sure that our tax 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 policy reflects fairness, and again, understand none of us, and certainly I cannot afford to be myopic in terms of how I think about strengthening America’s economy. And that has to include where are we investing our resources in a way that we maximize the return on the investment? Let me tell you something. I am a devout public servant. You know that. I am also a capitalist. And I know the limitations of government. Part of the work I’ve always done, and the work I will do as President includes 16 engaging the private sector to join in what we 17 can do, whether it be, again, tax incentives for 18 builders or developers, or what we need to do to 19 increase the work I’ve already done to get some 20 of our biggest finance houses and corporations, to invest in community banks, to increase access 21 22 22 to capital for small businesses. MR. BILL WHITAKER: So if VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: All of 23 24 25 this work must be done, but we have to have a
24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 holistic approach that is comprehensive. MR. BILL WHITAKER: I guess what I was asking, if all of this makes so much sense, why has this not been done? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well MR. BILL WHITAKER: You are dealing with a Congress that is divided, that many are in opposition to not only you, but your policies. So how are you going to make this come true? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Bill, if I approached my life as though, well, it’s never been done before, therefore it cannot be done, I 13 wouldn’t be sitting here in this interview with 14 you. That’s the truth. But I do believe that we 15 have to have leadership in our country as we turn 16 the page on all of these, sadly, powerful forces 17 that have been trying to divide us. We have to 18 turn the page on that, and chart a new way 19 forward that is driven by building consensus, and 20 20 21 building common ground. Listen, if you look at my campaign, I 22 am supported by over 200 former members of Mitt 23 Romney, Romney, John McCain, both President Bush, 24 25 the support of people who are and even former President Trump’s teams. I have Republicans who —
25 understand what is at stake in this election, be it as it relates to our democracy, and our most fundamental principles, and I do believe based on a collective understanding we have that America’s politics has to get back to the place of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 more economic story — 10 11 encouraging healthy debate, but not division for the sake of division. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Hmm. Just a couple questions here. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Sure. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Donald Trump says that tariffs on imports, well, that would be the 12 13 solution to all of our economic woes. You 14 criticize his plan for tariffs. Yet the Biden- 15 Harris Administration has left many of the Trump- 16 era tariffs in place, especially when it regards 17 China, and President Biden has, in fact, expanded 18 some of those tariffs. Would you continue the 19 Trump-era tariffs if you’re elected? 20 20 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So part 21 of the real problem that economists and others 22 have pointed out about Trump’s approach in this 23 election, he is advocating what is at least a 20% 24 tariff across the board on everyday necessities 25 and goods, which economists have estimated will
26 1 cost the average American family more than almost 2 $4,000 a year, more than what they’re already 3 paying. For everyday goods 4 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But you’ve got 5 tariffs 6 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Let me 7 8 get to my point. On everyday goods. So an across the board blanket policy on tariffs for Tariff policy, 9 everyday goods and necessities. 10 we cannot afford to have that is just a blind 11 policy, without looking at what we are talking 12 about, and what will it induce, what will it 13 14 incentivize. On the point about China, look, America 15 has to win the competition for the 21st century 16 as it relates to China. And we need to have 17 policy that includes investing in America, 18 investing in American workers, investing in 20 19 American manufacturing, investing in American supply chain. And that is, I believe, smart and 21 important policy not only for the sake of our 22 security, but also our prosperity. 23 24 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So let’s move on to immigration. You recently visited the southern 25 border, and embraced President Biden’s recent
27 1 crackdown on asylum seekers. And that crackdown 2 produced an almost immediate and dramatic 3 decrease in the number of border crossings, and 4 you said you would take it even further. If 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 that’s the right answer now, why didn’t your administration take those steps in 2021? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So we came into office, and almost hours, Bill, after our inauguration, the first bill we proposed to Congress was to fix our broken immigration system, knowing that if you want to actually fix it, we need Congress to act. It was not taken 12 13 up. 14 Fast forward to a moment when a 15 bipartisan group of members of the United States 16 Senate, including one of the most conservative 17 members of the United States Senate, got 18 together, came up with a border security bill, 19 which I support. Well, guess what happened? 20 Donald Trump got word that this bill was afoot, 21 and could be passed, knowing that it could fix 22 part of the problem, and he wants to run on a 23 problem instead of fixing a problem, so he told 24 24 25 his buddies in Congress kill the bill, don’t let it move forward.
1 28 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But Madam Vice 2 President, I’ve been covering the border for 3 years, and so I know this is not a problem that 4 started with your administration. 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Correct. 6 Correct. 7 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But there was an 8 9 10 11 historic flood of undocumented immigrants coming across the border the first three years of your administration. As a matter of fact, arrivals quadrupled from the last year of President Trump. Was it a mistake to loosen the immigration policies as much as you did in 2021? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So regionally, and actually globally, we have seen 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 it’s a long-standing problem, and solutions are this as an issue, and America is obviously not immune from this issue. But the focus has to be, to your point, you’ve been covering it for years, 20 21 at hand. And from day one, literally, we have been offering solutions which have not been 22 picked up, and then, when there was a border 23 security bill, my opponent decided to run on the 24 24 25 problem instead of fixing the problem. And understand what that bill would
29 1 have done. That border security bill would have 2 put 1,500 more agents at the border, which is why 3 the Border Patrol Union supported it. It would 4 5 fentanyl. have put more resources into stemming the flow of Which is a scourge. 6 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But that was just 7 8 9 10 11 it 12 this past year. That was just this past year. What I was asking was, was it a mistake to kind of allow that flood to happen in the first place? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I think The policies that we have been proposing are about fixing a problem, not promoting a 13 problem. Okay? But the way 14 15 16 MR. BILL WHITAKER: quadruple under your watch. But the numbers did VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: And the 17 numbers today, because of what we have done, we 18 have cut the flow of illegal immigration by half. 19 We have cut the flow of fentanyl by half. 20 20 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But should you have done that, shouldn’t you have done that VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: But we need Congress to be able to act to actually fix 21 22 23 24 the problem. 25 I was just at the border.
30 1 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Mm-hmm. 2 3 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: talking with these incredible men and women who I’m 4 are working around the clock, because again, they 5 don’t have the resources they need. We need an 7 8 9 10 6 active Congress who carries the purse to do it. Donald Trump told them don’t act. I talked with the Border Patrol agents, some of the leaders. Part of the issue that they identified is we need more asylum judges. We 11 need more processing of people who are coming to 12 13 our border, and the resources aren’t there. You know how those resources, commensurate with the need, get dedicated? Congress has to act. 14 15 MR. BILL WHITAKER: But I guess my 16 question is, it’s a pretty simple one, if this is 17 18 the right answer now, what you tried to do with the bipartisan bill this trip 19 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: And what 20 we tried to do on day one, Bill. And what we 21 22 tried to do on day one. When we came in, first order of business before we did the Inflation 23 Reduction Act, before we did successfully, by 24 the way, without one Republican vote. Before we 25 did the bipartisan infrastructure bill, before we
31 1 passed the first meaningful piece of legislation 2 to deal with gun violence in America in 30 years, 6 7 8 3 4 5 the first, first thing we did was to offer a comprehensive solution to create a pathway for citizenship, and for people to earn it, and to deal with what we need to do to put more resources to ensure that we are able to heighten our level of security at the border. 9 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So yeah, we do need 10 to move on, because our time is short. But I’m 11 trying to understand how it is that with this 12 emphasis on the border, the numbers of crossings 13 quadrupled under the first three years of the 14 Biden-Harris Administration. What — how did 15 that happen? 16 17 are VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: There a variety of factors that relate to what we 18 have seen globally, and what we are not immune 19 from at our own border in terms of what we have 20 seen in terms of the surge of immigration and And there are solutions at 21 irregular migration. 22 hand, but we’ve got to have leaders who are 23 solution-oriented, which we’ve been and are, and 24 I am going forward, instead of leaders who want 25 to make it a problem they can run on.
32 1 MR. BILL WHITAKER: And talking about 2 that person you’re mentioning right now, you have 3 accused Donald Trump of using racist tropes when 4 5 6 to Charlottesville. 7 it comes to Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, when it comes to birtherism, when it comes In fact, you have called him a racist, and divisive. Yet Donald Trump has the 8 support of millions and millions of Americans. 9 10 11 12 13 How do you explain that? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So let’s just break down what you just talked about, and talk about it in the context of the words that Donald Trump has spoken, and the actions he has 14 15 16 17 18 19 taken, and whether that is reflective of who we are as Americans, knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us. We have a former President who wants to be President again, who has a bouquet of microphones in front of him, who has said the 20 most vile lies about a group of legal immigrants 21 in Springfield, Ohio. And if I may, Bill, let me 22 just say something. You know, from the time I 23 was a prosecutor, to attorney general, to now I’m 24 Vice President, I learned very early in my career 25 when the voters bestow on you the authority to
33 1 have these positions, you must be very thoughtful 2 about how you use that microphone in front of 3 you. And you know, when I was attorney general, 4 the words I spoke could move markets. 5 So the idea that the former president, 6 who again is running to be President, would use 7 that microphone in a way that is about vilifying 8 9 10 and demeaning a whole population of people, you know what has happened because of that? One day when this happened was a school day, picture day Picture day. You know what picture day is for our children. They get 11 for an elementary school. 12 13 excited the night before when you put out the 14 clothes they’re going to wear, they go to school 15 making sure their faces are clean, and their hair 16 is done, and they go to school for picture day. 17 You know what happened to these children? They 18 had to evacuate that day because of the fear of 19 the threats that were being issued in Springfield 20 20 because of the words of Donald Trump. MR. BILL WHITAKER: So 21 22 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So I say 23 that I’m glad you’re pointing these comments out 24 that he has made, that have resulted in a 25 response by most reasonable people to say it’s
34 1 2 3 4 just wrong. It’s just wrong. MR. BILL WHITAKER: So you have said you want to be the President of all the people. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yes. MR. BILL WHITAKER: With so many people supporting Donald Trump, a man you have called a racist, how do you bridge that seemingly unbridgeable gap? 5 6 7 8 9 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I 10 11 12 believe that the American people recognize that believe that the people of America want a leader who’s not trying to divide us, and demean. I 13 the true measure of the strength of a leader is 14 not based on who you beat down, it’s based on who 15 you lift up. And I have traveled around our 16 country, and I have met with people of every 17 background and walk of life, including people who 18 have supported Donald Trump in the past, who say 19 to me they’re ready to turn the page. 20 They’re exhausted with what he has been doing, and that 21 approach, and they want to chart a new way 22 forward for our country. 23 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So was democracy 24 best served by President Biden stepping down, and 25 basically handing you a nomination? You didn’t
35 1 have to go through a primary process, you didn’t 2 have to fight off other contenders, and that’s 3 not really the way our system was intended to 4 work. 5 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So 6 President Biden made a decision that I think 7 history is going to show is rare among leaders, 8 which was to put country before self. And I am proud to have earned the support of the vast 9 10 majority of delegates, and to have been elected 11 the Democratic nominee to be Vice President of 12 the United States. I am honored to have received 13 the support and endorsement of over 200 14 Republicans who served in the last three 15 Republican Presidential administrations. I am 16 proud to have earned the support of leaders of 17 18 our national security community. I am proud to have received the endorsement of leaders around 19 this country from every background and walk of 20 life, to fight in this election over the next 21 month for our democracy, and the principles upon 22 which it stands. 23 What is at stake in this election, you 24 mentioned our democracy, is whether we are a 25 nation that abides by and respects the rule of
36 1 law, and that we have a President who is the 2 champion of following and respecting and 3 4 upholding rule of law. MR. BILL WHITAKER: But I would think 5 that 6 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Not 7 someone who has been convicted of 34 felonies, 8 9 who tried to overturn the free and fair election which was the will of the people on January 6th. Not someone who has said he would be a dictator 10 11 on day one. Not someone who has said, and these 12 are his words, he would terminate the 13 14 Constitution of the United States of America. MR. BILL WHITAKER: But I think this 15 truncated process is why people think or say they 16 don’t really know who you are. 17 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 18 19 Bill, there’s no question. Look, I’ve been in this race for 70 days, and there is work to be 20 done. It is, without any question, a short period of time. There’s no question about that. Which is why I’m traveling around our country 21 22 23 24 me, 25 As I said earlier, I mean you’ve seen I’m from one state to the next to the next. I don’t know how many states I’ve been in this
37 1 last week alone. Literally, I’ve lost count. So 2 it is my responsibility to earn the vote. And 3 I’m going to work to do that. 4 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Three-quarters of 5 the American voters, or likely voters, say that 6 they are concerned about the possibility of election-related violence. And with two 7 8 9 10 assassination attempts against former President Trump, the country seems near a boiling point. What can you do, what should you do to lower the temperature? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 11 12 13 first let’s start with those attempts, 14 assassination attempts on the former president. 15 I was deeply disturbed, shocked, and shaken, 16 17 frankly, when they happened. I called the former president to check on him. But it is really 18 important that all of us speak loudly, regardless 19 of who we’re voting for, to say our differences 20 have to be settled at the ballot box and not 21 through violence. We cannot lose our soul in 22 terms of who we are as Americans by resorting to 23 violence to settle our differences, much less to 24 24 25 make a decision about who’s going to be the next President of the United States.
38 1 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Let’s hit on some 2 more foreign policy. Which foreign country do 3 you consider to be our greatest adversary? 4 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, 5 there are different reasons that we should be 6 thoughtful about each. Most recently, I think 7 there’s an obvious one in mind, which is Iran. 8 And look, I mean, Iran has American blood on 9 their hands, okay? And what we saw in terms of 10 just this attack on Israel, 200 ballistic 11 missiles, what we need to do to ensure that Iran 12 13 never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power, that is one of my highest priorities. And that 14 must be. 15 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So if you have 16 proof that Iran is building a nuclear weapon, 17 would you take military action? 18 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I’m not 19 going to talk about hypotheticals at this moment. 20 20 21 MR. BILL WHITAKER: What about China? China is strongly asserting its dominance, its 22 control of the South China Sea, especially around 23 the Philippines. 24 24 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yeah. 25 MR. BILL WHITAKER: What is the U.S.
39 1 2 responsibility for keeping China from simply taking over the South China Sea? 3 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, I 4 have actually worked very closely with the 5 leaders in the Philippines on just this very 6 issue, and including the work that we are doing 7 8 in terms of coordination between our military and training, and what needs to happen in terms of 9 protecting the freedom of the South China Sea. 10 11 China, first of all, we must win the competition for the 21st century with China. We 12 must be able to compete and win. We should not 13 seek conflict, but we have to understand that 14 there are parameters in which we must operate 15 16 17 that include ensuring, for example, that we protect American business interests. What we MR. BILL WHITAKER: So say if China 18 attacks Taiwan. Would we use military force to 19 support Taiwan? 20 20 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Bill, 21 I’m not going to get into hypotheticals. But 22 listen, we need to make sure that we maintain a 23 one-China policy, and but that includes 24 supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, 25 including what we need to do to ensure the
40 1 freedom of the Taiwan Strait. 2 But on the issue of China, we also 3 Again, these are not We cannot afford to have 4 5 6 foreign policy that is myopic. We must be able to also, as it relates to China, continue to do the work that we have 7 begun to deal with the flow of fentanyl coming 8 9 10 who have — into the United States. That’s a real issue. Again, you talk to families around our country I just, on a constant, sadly, regular 11 basis meet parents and family members of people 12 who have died from fentanyl, young people who 13 have died from fentanyl. Are we going to stop 14 trying to stem the flow from fentanyl? And we 15 have to deal with that, and understand China’s 16 role in that, and our ability to work with China 17 to stop that flow. Which we have begun to do, 18 and I’m going to continue to do. We need to make 19 sure we have open lines of communication with 20 20 China, in particular military to military. 21 So these issues are all — they’re 22 23 22 multifaceted. 24 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So what about Russia and Ukraine? What does the end of the war 25 what does success look like in ending the war
41 1 in Ukraine? 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: There will be no success in ending that war without Ukraine and the UN Charter participating in what that success looks like. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Would you VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That being said, America must stand firm in being a leader in defending international rules and norms that include one of the most important, which is the critical nature and importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Would you meet with President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a solution to the war in Ukraine? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Not 17 18 19 20 20 21 22 bilaterally, without Ukraine, no. Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine. MR. BILL WHITAKER: How about as President, would you support the effort to expand NATO to include Ukraine? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Those 23 are all issues that we will deal with if and when 24 it arrives at that point. Right now, we are 25 supporting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself
42 1 against Russia’s unprovoked aggression, and doing 2 what we can to continue to build and strengthen 3 the alliance around the support for Ukraine’s 4 right to be an independent nation, free from 5 having its borders forcefully taken by Russia. 6 And we are going to continue to work closely with 7 our NATO allies to continue to reinforce 8 America’s alliance in the context of NATO. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Again, in this election, there’s a real difference between me and the former president. I believe in reinforcing the strength of NATO, understanding again it is the greatest military alliance the world has ever known. Donald Trump would pull us out of NATO. Donald Trump, if he were President, Putin would be sitting in Kiev right now. Let’s be clear about that. He talks 17 about, oh, he can end it on day one. You know 18 what that is? It’s about surrender. Achieving 19 peace, and an end to this war is not synonymous 20 with surrender. Those two things are not the 21 same. 22 22 MR. BILL WHITAKER: It’s kind of a hard 23 left turn here, but you recently surprised people 24 when you said that you are a gun owner, and that 25 if someone came into your house
43 1 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That was 2 not the first time I’ve talked about it. 3 MR. BILL WHITAKER: — they would get 4 shot. 5 6 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: not the first time I’ve talked about it. But That’s 7 it’s I mean, I don’t talk about it a lot, but 8 9 10 11 MR. BILL WHITAKER: So what kind of gun do you own? And when, and why did you get it? VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I have a 12 Glock, and I’ve had it for quite some time. And 13 14 — 15 I mean, look Bill, my background is in law enforcement, and so there you go. MR. BILL WHITAKER: Have you ever fired 16 it? 17 18 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yes. Of course I have. At a shooting range, yes, of 19 course I have. And to just give you more detail, 20 and I store it in a lock box, and it is safely 21 stored, and as any responsible gun owner does. 22 MR. BILL WHITAKER: I’m getting the 23 countdown here, but one last thing. You are 24 24 sitting here with us. The Trump campaign 25 canceled an interview that they had agreed to, to
44 1 participate in this broadcast. What do you make 2 of that? 3 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Listen, 4 I think that — Look, I think that your viewers 5 have options in terms of how they’re going to 6 hear from him. And I invite them to watch what 7 8 9 10 11 12 he says at his rallies. If he is not going to give your viewers the ability to have a meaningful, thoughtful conversation, and question and answer with you, then watch his rallies. And what you’re going to hear are comments about fictional characters, like Hannibal Lecter. 13 You’re going to hear conversations suggesting 14 that human beings are eating their pets. You’re 15 going to hear conversations that are about 16 himself, and all of his personal grievances. 17 Words that are intended to divide our country is 18 what you will hear. 19 20 20 And what you will not hear is anything about you, the listener. You will not hear a 21 plan about how he’s going to make your life 22 better. You will not hear a plan about how he’s 23 going to strengthen the middle class. You will 24 24 not hear about how he is going to strengthen 25 small businesses. You will not hear about how he
45 1 is going to strengthen the middle class. You will 2 not hear about how he is going to strengthen You will not hear about how he 4 5 6 7 3 small businesses. is going to try to bring the country together, find common ground. And Bill, that is why I believe in my soul and heart the American people are ready to 8 turn the page. 9 MR. BILL WHITAKER: You have said that 10 the country is exhausted. 11 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yes. 12 MR. BILL WHITAKER: With the rhetoric, 13 and the finger pointing. How about you? Are you 14 exhausted? 15 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I’ll be 16 exhausted on November 6th. Not now. Not now. Too much to do. Too much to do. 17 18 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Madam Vice 19 President, thank you very much. 20 20 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Thank 21 22 22 you. Thank you, Bill. Good to be with you. CREW: Can we just get just a little 23 bit of a question, please, so I can get an over 24 25 the shoulder shot? MR. BILL WHITAKER: Yeah.
46 1 CREW: One second [inaudible] okay. 2 Thank you. 3 MR. BILL WHITAKER: You need me 4 talking? 5 CREW: Yes, sir. 6 MR. BILL WHITAKER: Well, we were 7 8 9 10 11 12 talking about how you’re going to pay for it. And I mean, I truly do mean it, you know, your plans are logical, make logical sense. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Mm-hmm. MR. BILL WHITAKER: The way Washington works is not logical. So how are you going to 13 convince a divided Congress that what you say, 14 your plans are something that they should all 15 agree to, and provide to the American people, 16 when they’ve shown no inclination to do that up 17 to this point? 18 VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Is that 19 what you needed? 20 21 222222 CREW: Yes, sir. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Okay. CREW: Yes, ma’am. Thirty seconds of silence, please, for 23 24 room tone. 25 CREW: Mark.
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1 48 CERTIFICATION I, Lindsay Peacock, certify that the foregoing transcript is a true and accurate record of the 2 3 4 5 proceedings. 6 7 8 9 du 10 11 Veritext Legal Solutions 12 330 Old Country Road 13 Suite 300 14 Mineola, NY 11501 15 16 Date: January 31, 2025 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 8 2222222
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