In a lively town hall that aired live on 130 iHeartRadio and CNN, iHeartMedia "Breakfast Club" co-host Charlamagne Tha God took Vice President Kamala Harris to task, pressing her on issues and rumors. The event, part of Harris' campaign push leading up to the Nov. 5 election, saw the Vice President addressing a range of topics, from reparations to immigration.
Charlamagne kicked things off with a light jab about Harris' tardiness. She was 40 seconds late to the broadcast, but things quickly turned serious as he questioned her reliance on talking points, hinting that she came off as overly scripted. Harris, unflappable, responded, “That would be called discipline,” underscoring her commitment to clarity in her positions.
Harris fielded pointed questions from Charlamagne and listeners, including queries on her stance regarding reparations. She stopped short of endorsing direct payments, opting instead to detail her broader economic initiatives. “On reparations, it has to be studied. There’s no question about that,” she began, shifting to discuss policies aimed at benefiting everyone. When Charlamagne interrupted, pointing out her lengthy response, she playfully acknowledged it: “You caught that!” He quipped back, “OK, filibuster, ma’am!”
The discussion then turned to immigration, with a listener expressing fear over former President Donald Trump’s hardline stance. Harris criticized Trump’s rhetoric, saying he was more focused on fearmongering than actual solutions. Charlamagne took the opportunity to press her on the Biden administration’s handling of the border, citing early missteps. Harris defended her record, highlighting a proposed immigration reform bill that Republicans opposed. She acknowledged, however, that the border issue remains challenging, attributing some of the recent successes to tightened asylum processing.
A key moment in the interview saw Charlamagne raise Harris’ record as a prosecutor. He reminded her of her oversight in prosecuting over 1,900 marijuana cases as San Francisco’s District Attorney, a contrast to her current support for marijuana legalization. While Harris sidestepped specifics, she maintained, “I was the most progressive prosecutor in California on marijuana cases.”
Listeners also voiced concerns about foreign aid, arguing for a focus on domestic needs like homelessness and housing. Harris responded by emphasizing the balance she believes the administration can strike, saying, “We can do it all.” Charlamagne invoked Harris’ self-professed admiration for Tupac, quoting, “We got money for war but can’t feed the poor.”
As the interview wrapped up, Harris reiterated her opposition to Trump’s policies, even endorsing a listener’s suggestion to label his campaign as promoting “fascism.” She addressed an unusual question about rumors that Janet Jackson disliked her, allegedly due to her prosecution of Michael Jackson. Harris laughed it off, saying, “That’s just not true on either count.”
The interview ended abruptly as Harris spoke over her allotted time, with her final thoughts on Trump’s divisive rhetoric cut off by dead air. The town hall highlighted the issues at the forefront of the election while underscoring the complex relationship Harris navigates with Black voters.
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