Kamala Harris doesn’t “at all” regret defending Joe Biden’s ability to serve another four years as president – as she revealed the moment he told her he was stepping aside.
President Biden withdrew from the race for the White House in July after weeks of scrutiny over his age and fitness, most notably after a disastrous debate showing against Donald Trump.
Ms Harris, who is serving as his vice president, had backed Mr Biden to continue until that point and said it has been an “honour” to serve in his administration.
“He has the intelligence, the commitment and the judgement and disposition that I think the American people rightly deserve in their president,” she told CNN.
“By contrast, the former president has none of that.”
Mr Trump appeared to respond to the interview, posting “BORING!!!” on his platform Truth Social, having earlier said he looks forward to debating her and “exposing her for the fraud she is”.
Kamala Harris had defended Joe Biden’s ability to serve. Pic: AP
In her first mainstream media interview since being named as the Democrat nominee, Ms Harris revealed she was about to work on a puzzle with her young nieces when Mr Biden called.
“The phone rang and it was Joe Biden and he told me what he had decided to do and I asked him, ‘are you sure?’ And he said ‘yes’ and that’s how I learned about it,” she said.
She said he was “very clear” he was going to endorse her, but she said her first thought was about him.
‘My values haven’t changed’
Ms Harris also insisted her values “have not changed” despite pivoting more towards the centre on certain policies.
She has toughened her position on migration along the southern US border with Mexico and no longer wants a ban on fracking, an energy production method employing many in the key state of Pennsylvania.
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“My value around what we need to do to secure our border – that value has not changed,” she said.
“I spent two terms as the attorney general of California prosecuting trans-national criminal organisations, violations of American laws, regarding the illegal passage of guns, drugs and human beings across our border.
“My values have not changed.”
‘Deal needed in Gaza’
A Palestinian man mourns the loss of a relative in this week’s attacks. Pic: AP
On foreign affairs, she said a ceasefire and hostage release deal is needed in Gaza, while she reiterated support for Israel and maintained “too many innocent Palestinians have been killed”.
“Israel has a right to defend itself… and how it does so matters,” she said.
“Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed, and we have got to get a deal done.”
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She did not offer any change in the current status quo policy.
Republican in cabinet
She also discussed the possibility of adding a Republican to her potential cabinet, adding she wanted a diversity of opinion.
“I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences,” she said.
“And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my cabinet who was a Republican.”
She said there was “no one particular” in mind for the potential role.
‘Next question please’
Turning attention back to Mr Trump, Ms Harris was asked about his claim the multicultural Democrat only recently began identifying as black.
“Same old tired playbook,” said Ms Harris, whose mother was born in India and father in Jamaica.
“Next question, please.”
She has long embraced the totality of her identity and graduated from Howard University, a historically black institution.