On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Harris-Walz Campaign Senior Adviser Keisha Lance Bottoms defended 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris abandoning several positions from when she ran for president the last time by arguing there’s risk “when we attach negative labels to people who are being thoughtful about what their policy positions are and what they should be.”
Co-host Bill Hemmer asked, [relevant exchange begins around 1:45] “I just want to put up on the screen what the spokespeople have said for her campaign on a lot of issues she had back in 2019 and 2020 and where she is, allegedly, today. Immigration, critically re-examine ICE, today, she’s talking about strong border security. Energy, supported a fracking ban, today, campaign says does not support that. Health care, supported Medicare for all, the campaign says she will not push that, Medicare for all, as a candidate or as president. What’s the risk in choosing not to define yourself here and allowing others to define you in the public, especially Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH)?”
Bottoms responded, “Well, we have to remember, she’s only been our candidate, our nominee for just a few weeks. So, with each week, you’re going to get more and more information. She laid out the economic plan just last week, we’ll hear more as we get through the campaign. And, listen, politics is the only area and profession where people say that you can’t evolve and you can’t change positions. People evolve, positions change, each and every day. So, I would much rather have a candidate who’s looking at their positions, re-thinking their positions, in some cases, and then making the best decisions on how to best serve people. And that’s what we have with Kamala Harris.”
Hemmer then asked, “You would admit there’s a bit of risk, though, that you’re considered a flip-flopper and you’re moving to places you haven’t been before, and there’s risk in that?”
Bottoms answered, “Well, I think the risk is when we attach negative labels to people who are being thoughtful about what their policy positions are and what they should be. So, what her positions are will be articulated over the next several weeks. And this is a great time, because people are actually paying attention now.”
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