In a recent interview with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle, Vice President Kamala Harris offered responses that were not always straightforward, but Ruhle defended the lack of clarity, arguing that the topics discussed were not simple.
The interview, announced by the network on Wednesday, came after Ruhle had previously defended Harris for her perceived inability to provide clear answers on policy changes.
Ruhle's questions to Harris spanned a range of topics, including the Vice President's economic policies, tariffs, and even personal experiences such as her last "biggest gut decision" and her alleged employment at McDonalds - a claim for which her campaign has yet to provide evidence. When asked about her stance on tariffs, Harris shifted the conversation towards President Trump's policies, a move that Ruhle later justified.
MSNBC host Chris Hayes found the discussion on tariffs particularly intriguing. "I thought the exchanges on tariffs was interesting, particularly when you said, look, which is true, I think people think we live in this free trade era, which we do compared to previous. But theres also lots of tariffs on lots of stuff. Presidents have unbelievable unilateral authority to apply them. I remember George W. Bush doing this on aluminum and steel. Obviously Trump did it. Joe Biden, as you noted. You basically said, Look, where are you? And I thought her answer was interesting. Basically, well, it kind of depends,'" Hayes said.
Ruhle, according to the Daily Caller, defended the interview as "normal," explaining that while Harris' answer might not have been clear, it was acceptable given the complexity of the issue. "What she did right there was kind of explain that its complicated, right? Were a country of 330 million people. Our economy is complicated. Right? In the same way as the economy good or bad? It totally depends. So tariffs, if used in the right places, can work. And one could watch that and say she didnt give a clear, direct answer. Thats okay. Because were not talking about clear or direct issues," Ruhle said.
When Ruhle asked Harris about her views on tariffs, Harris responded by criticizing the idea of indiscriminate tariffs. "Well, part of it is, you just dont throw around the idea of tariffs across the board. Thats part of the problem with Donald Trump. Frankly, Im going I say this in all sincerity hes not very serious about how he thinks about some of these issues. And one must be serious and have a plan and a real plan thats not just about some talking point ending in an exclamation at a political rally. But actually putting the thought into what will be the return on the investment. What will be the economic impact on everyday people?" Harris said.
Harris continued to outline her plans, which include a $25,000 down payment assistance for first-time home buyers, a $6,000 child tax credit, and a $50,000 tax deduction for first-time small businesses. Ruhle interjected during the interview, affirming, "Thats a real plan."
This interview marked Harris' first solo national interview since she launched her presidential campaign. After avoiding the media for over a month, Harris made her first media appearance in August on CNN, alongside her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. However, Harris has yet to provide clear explanations for her policy changes or her campaign's refusal to define her stance on several topics. She has also only briefly addressed whether she was aware of Bidens physical and mental decline, which led to his withdrawal from the presidential race.
Since her CNN appearance, Harris has primarily engaged with lesser-known media outlets, such as local TV and radio stations. She sat with the National Association for Black Journalists (NABJ) on Sept. 17, where she discussed the importance of joy in her 2024 presidential campaign. This was a stark contrast to Trumps tension-filled interview with the NABJ, which was filled with pointed questions.
In the interview with Ruhle, rather than pressing Harris on her policy changes, Ruhle asked Harris to respond to Trumps claim that she never worked at McDonalds, a claim Harris frequently makes. Despite a Free Beacon investigation finding no evidence of this, and the Harris campaign's insistence that she did work there, no evidence has been provided.
Ruhle asked the vice president, "So I just want to ask you yes or no. At any point in your life have you served two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun working at a McDonalds? Yes or no, thats it?" To which Harris responded, "I have. But it was not a small job. I did the fries. I mean, you know, yes. But I did."
As the interview concluded, Ruhle asked Harris about the last significant "gut decision" she made. Harris responded, "Probably the biggest gut decision Ive made most recently is to choose my running mate. Yeah. There were lots of good, incredible candidates. And ultimately that came down to a gut decision."
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