Kamala Harris attended a campaign event hosted by Oprah Winfrey on Thursday night, where she faced questions [1] from voters and made some unexpected [2] remarks.
The two-hour virtual event, titled “Unite for America,” took place in Michigan and featured prominent celebrities, including Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, and Jennifer Lopez, who expressed their support for Harris.
However, the vice president’s responses, particularly on topics like the southern border and gun control, became points of discussion following the event.
During the event, which was intended to showcase grassroots organizers and give Harris a platform to engage with voters, Harris was asked about her plans to address the southern border crisis.
Her response drew attention for its lack of new policy proposals. Harris, a former prosecutor and two-term Attorney General of California, highlighted her experience with border-related issues.
She stated, “So it’s a wonderful and important question. I, you know, my background was as a prosecutor, and I was also the elected Attorney General for two terms of the border state. So this is not a theoretical issue for me. This is something I’ve actually worked on.”
As Harris continued, she criticized Republicans for not passing a bipartisan border bill, but Kamala’s rambling non-answer was cut off by Winfrey, who interjected, “So to answer Justin’s question,” to move the conversation forward.
Harris then promised, “When I am elected as president of the United States, I will make sure that bill gets to my desk, and I will sign it into law,” though she did not offer any specific new strategies for tackling the ongoing border crisis.
Kamala is incapable of answering a question and after 3 minutes of nonsense Oprah had to save her. pic.twitter.com/ZnbWeUDtZD [3]
— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) September 20, 2024 [4]
Harris also spoke at length about issues like abortion rights, pledging to protect the right to choose, and reiterated her plan to provide $25,000 for new homeowners’ down payments and increase tax credits for small businesses and families.
However, the night’s conversation took an unexpected turn when the topic of gun violence came up.
Winfrey expressed surprise when Harris revealed she was a gun owner during a recent debate. “I did not know that,” Winfrey said, to which Harris replied, “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot, sorry,” followed by laughter. Winfrey responded, “Yes, yes. I hear that,” as the audience laughed along. Harris quickly added, “Probably should not have said that. But my staff will deal with that later.”
This comment sparked immediate reactions on social media, with critics pointing out Harris’ previous support for stricter gun control measures.
Many referenced her past remarks, including a 2007 statement in which she suggested that police officers could enter the homes of legal gun owners to inspect how firearms were stored [5]. “Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible and safe in the way you conduct your affairs,” Harris had said at the time while serving as San Francisco’s district attorney.
Kamala: “Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible.”
She’s an anti-gun RADICAL. pic.twitter.com/CTcyGgrJEf [6]
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 18, 2024 [7]
Conservative commentators were quick to highlight the contrast between Harris’ recent remarks and her past positions. Libs of TikTok commented, “Kamala says she would shoot an intruder who enters her home then says ‘I probably shouldn’t have said that.’ Let’s be very clear. She has repeatedly called to take away your guns and she 100% will if she’s elected. Security for me but not for thee.”
Kamala says she would sh**t an intruder who enters her home then says “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
Let’s be very clear. She has repeatedly called to take away your guns and she 100% will if she’s elected.
Security for me but not for theepic.twitter.com/f4AZkihsUG [8]
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 20, 2024 [9]
Other prominent voices, such as radio host Larry Elder, echoed similar sentiments, calling out what they viewed as a contradiction in Harris’ stance on gun rights.
“Guns for me, not for thee…” https://t.co/LUyk2EUUwp [10]
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) September 20, 2024 [11]
The “Unite for America” event was part of Harris’ campaign efforts following Joe Biden’s decision to step aside from the 2024 race.
With a focus on rallying support among Black women, the event was organized by the “Win with Black Women” organization and featured over 140 grassroots groups, including “White Women: Answer the Call” and “Latinas for Harris.”
The virtual rally attracted a star-studded lineup of participants, including Bryan Cranston, Meryl Streep, and Julia Roberts, all of whom expressed their support for Harris’ campaign.
As the 2024 election approaches, Kamala is attempting to distance herself from some of the Biden-Harris administration’s less popular policies, particularly on the economy.
During the event, she emphasized that while she has worked alongside Biden, “we can’t go back” to the Trump years, framing her candidacy as a new direction for the country.
Harris’ campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, acknowledged that the race against Trump remains close, especially in key battleground states like Michigan.
The vice president’s campaign strategy and messaging will likely continue to evolve in the coming months as she navigates issues such as border security, gun control, and the economy.
Despite facing some tough questions, both from voters and the media, Harris remains focused on securing the Democratic nomination and appealing to a broad range of voters ahead of the 2024 election.