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Vice President Kamala Harris, Presidential Candidate, Speaks to the National Association of Black Journalists. Aired 14:30-1p ET

Aired September 17, 2024 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[14:30:00]

DANIELS: ...voters are better off now than they were four years ago. Are they better off now than they were four years ago?

HARRIS: So when we came into -- well, first of all, let me just say it -- it is good to be with the National Association of Black Journalists, and I thank you for the work you're doing; that your members do every day. It is very important that we ensure that this organization and your members always have the resources and the platforms to deliver the voices that must be heard, so I thank you for hosting me today.

Four years ago, when we came in, we came in during the worst unemployment since the Great Depression. We came in during the worst public health epidemic in centuries. We came in after the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War, and a lot of it due in large part to the mismanagement by the former president as it relates to COVID, and obviously, January 6th. And we had, then, a lot of work to do to clean up a mess.

As of today, we have created over 16 million new jobs, over 800,000 new manufacturing jobs. We have the lowest black unemployment rate in generations. We have invested in small businesses, and I'm going to -- they're -- to the benefit of many people, but including black small businesses, some of the highest rate of creation of new black small businesses in years. We have done the work of capping the cost of prescription medication for our seniors for issues like insulin. And again, I'm speaking to the black journalists who care about all people, but in particular, I'll talk about the impact on black people, where we know black folks are 60 times more likely -- 60 percent -- excuse me -- more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, and we have now finally capped the cost of insulin for our seniors at $35 a month, capped the cost of prescription medication for our seniors at $2,000 a year because we, unlike the former president, who promised to do it, we finally have allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices against the big pharmaceutical companies. And these are just some of the accomplishments.

Is the price of groceries still too high? Yes. Do we have more work to do? Yes. And I will tell you, I do believe that I offer a new generation of leadership for our country that is about, in particular, turning the page on an era that, sadly, has shown us attempts by some to incite fear, to create division in our country, and to do the work that is about bringing some level of optimism, and dare I say, ambition about what I know is possible in our country.

And so my plan for the economy includes what I imagine and believe and call a -- a -- an opportunity economy, what we can do to grow an opportunity economy where all people have access to the resources to compete, to apply their incredible work ethic, their ambition, their aspirations and their dreams, and actually not just get by, but get ahead. And I can talk in more detail about it, but specifically, I'll mention a few things.

MOSELY: Yeah.

HARRIS: One of the big issues that affects people right now in terms of the economy and their economic wellbeing is we have a shortage of housing supply. It's too expensive. People can't afford to buy a home.

You know, we grew up, our parents, where they had the ability to somehow believe the American Dream was attainable. Not so much for younger working people, and I recognize that.

So my approach is a new approach, which is to say, let's just take this and deal with it head-on, and part of my approach is to say I'm going to employ and -- and en- -- en- -- and engage the private sector, in particular, homebuilders with tax credits to give them the incentive to create new housing, three million (ph) by the end of my first term, and understanding that not everybody is, you know, handed a -- a silver spoon, but works hard and is trying to save up for a downpayment, part of my plan under my opportunity economy is to give first-time homebuyers a $25,000 downpayment assistance so they can just get their foot in the door to be able to then engage in what will prove to be their opportunity to build intergenerational wealth.

And here -- here's my personal experience coming at that: I grew up a middle-class kid. My mother was hardworking. She raised me and my sister, Maya. She saved up, and it was only by the time I was a teenager that she could afford to -- to actually buy her first home. And I know and I identify with -- I know where I come from.

[14:35:00]

MOSELY: Madam Vice President?

HARRIS: And I know -- but I'm just going to finish. I know that so many people work so hard and should have the opportunity to just get their foot in the door. Again, this was not just about getting by, but getting ahead.

MOSELY: Please, I'd like to ask you more about the opportunity economy, housing...

HARRIS: Yes.

MOSELY: ... is a part of it as well as expanding the earned income tax credit...

HARRIS: Yes.

MOSELY: ... financial support, as you've mentioned for first time buyers...

HARRIS: (Inaudible).

MOSELY: ... and a $50,000 tax deduction for startups and small businesses...

HARRIS: Yes.

MOSELY: ... but I want to talk to you about the squeeze that millions of Americans are also dealing with, that impacts their ability to work and make money, and that is childcare and...

HARRIS: Yes (ph).

MOSELY: ... elder care...

HARRIS: (Inaudible).

MOSELY: ... and it's a squeeze for millions of people. In some parts of the country, it costs more for childcare than for rents (ph)...

HARRIS: That's right.

MOSELY: ... I think Bloomberg recently reported an average of $33,000 a year. So, I'm just wondering, you mentioned that in your opportunity economy, a child tax credit -- but that's just one part of the...

HARRIS: Yes (ph)...

MOSELY: ... ecosystem...

HARRIS: ... right.

MOSELY: ... please tell us what plans will you propose to guarantee that families can actually afford childcare and elder care?

HARRIS: So, to your point, it is -- it is -- it -- sadly, the state of affairs in our country that working people often have to decide to either be able to work or be able to afford childcare. Like -- like they can't afford childcare and actually do the work that they want to do because it's to expensive and it doesn't actually level out in terms of the expense versus the income.

My plan is that no family -- no working family should pay more than 7 percent of their income in childcare. Because I know that when you talk about the return on that investment, allowing people to work, allowing people to pursue their dreams, in terms of how they want to work, where they want to work, benefits us all. It strengthens the entire economy.

We saw, for example, during the pandemic what happened. And it sadly has dissipated as a conversation that we need to resuscitate, which is the number of women that had to leave the workforce because of the lack of childcare and home healthcare and so many of our families, and particular women end up carrying the responsibility. Men do to, of course -- what -- what we call people who are who are in the -- in the sandwich generation...

MOSELY: Exactly.

HARRIS: ... who have young children and are also taking care of their parents. And it is just absolutely too expensive for them to be able to work and do that. So, my plan is not only about 7 percent of income for working people for childcare, but also, we need to do better for your childcare providers and our home healthcare providers, in terms of ensuring that they receive the wages that they deserve, based on the dignity of their work.

I have spent time with home healthcare providers, and their work is some of the most taxing work you can imagine, and I actually -- when my mother was sick with cancer, did a lot in terms of taking care of her.

And the -- the work that is about taking care of a loved one, in particular an elder, is extraordinarily heavy in terms of the emotional toll, the time it takes, and -- and we do it because that is what we do, but not everyone has the ability to take time from work to do it. And they need help. And we need to make sure we have home healthcare workers that can help them.

But I want to also get back to the earlier point that you made about extending the child tax credit. So, part of my new approach is we need to expand the child tax credit.

And so, part of my plan that is under an opportunity economy is to extend and expand the child tax credit to $6,000 so that young families, in particular, for the first year of their child's life, which is an extraordinarily important time in their development have the resources to be able to buy a crib, buy a car seat, buy children's clothing and not have to worry about whether they're going to be able to meet their other needs.

And I will -- I don't need to remind anybody here, especially these -- these esteemed journalists, but when we expanded the child tax credit a couple of years ago, we reduced black child poverty by half.

And so again, if you talk about the benefit and if you think about the benefit to the economy overall, it strengthens our economy to do things like pay attention to affordable childcare, affordable home healthcare and extending the child tax credit.

[14:40:00]

MOSELY: Madam Vice President, black men, as you know, are a closely watched voting block. You've hosted black men at your residence...

HARRIS: Yes.

MOSELY: ... you have engaged black men and censored (ph) them in your economic opportunity tour, but polling shows that some black men, particularly young black men are considering voting for Donald Trump, and they see him as better for the economy. What is your message to young black male voters who feel left out of this economy? And how can your economic policies materially change their lives?

HARRIS: So, I appreciate the spirit of the question, but I'll tell you I've often been asked this question in a way (ph) that I've had to respond by first saying that I think it's very important to not operate from the assumption aren't (ph) in in anybody's pocket. Black men are like any other voting group, you got to earn their vote.

So, I'm working to earn the vote -- not (ph) assuming I'm going to have it, because I am black, but because the policies and the perspectives that I have understands what we must do to recognize the needs of all communities. And I intend to be a President for all people.

Specifically, it relates to what we need to do, to your point, around economic opportunity, yes I started way before I was at (ph) the top of the ticket and what I called an economy opportunity tour, focused on black men, understanding that for example, we have so many entrepreneurs in the community who do not have access to capital, but they've got great ideas, an incredible work ethic, the ambition, the aspiration, the dream, but don't have the relationships necessarily.

So, my work has included, as Vice President, getting billions more dollars into community banks, including working with the big banks to do that, so that we can increase access to capital for our small businesses, for our startups.

Part of my plan under my economic opportunity plan going forward is that right now, startup entrepreneurs, small businesses, only get a tax deduction of $5,000. Nobody can start a small business with $5,000 dollars (ph), so I'm expanding that to $50,000, understanding again, that when people have the opportunity to have the resources to get started, they're going to put the good ideas, they're going to put the hard work into it.

And part of what I also know is that our young black men are black men just like any group of people -- anybody, our small businesses are really the -- the -- the backbone of our economy overall, and when they do better economically we all do better.

Part of my work is about understanding what we need to do in dealing, for example, the historic inequities that have faced the black community around homeownership, right. I don't have to go through the history with anybody here about what that has meant in terms of redlining, what that has meant in terms of biases and home appraisals, and what that, the impact it has had on stemming the opportunity to build intergenerational wealth because of those obstacles.

So, part of the work that I have done and will continue to do is identify, speak truth about those obstacles, and address them. Another example is medical debt. One in four black families or individuals is more likely to carry medical debt. I'm going to talk a little bit about medical debt and what it means to be able to get medical debt than others.

So, part of my perspective and as vice president, part of the work that we have done is to say that we're going to eliminate medical debt from being on your credit score. Because until now, medical debt worked against your credit score. And, you know, people know their credit score, like, you know, you wait, right? You know, that number.

And the difference between what that number is and what it needs to be is the difference between you being able to get a car loan, a small business loan or even a leasing on an apartment. And so, part of my approach is understanding the obstacles that traditionally and currently exist to allow anyone, including black men, be able to achieve economic wealth.

And I'm going to tell you, I don't think it is sufficient to just only talk about economic policy around reducing unemployment. It is an important marker, and I'm proud of the work that we've done thus far. But it should be a baseline there. Everybody's working.

The point is, do people have an opportunity to build wealth if that's what they choose to do, if that's what they want to do?

[14:45:00]

And a lot of my perspective as we go forward is just that, I believe that there are a lot of opportunities that are available to the American people. If we just see, if we see people and understand what they want for themselves and their families and then meet them where they are.

MOSELY: Madam Vice President. I want to switch gears a little bit and talk about, the war in Gaza. You've called for a ceasefire hostage deal and a two-state solution as an end to the war for many months now. And while you've expressed support for Israel to defend itself, a two state solution and a ceasefire are at odds with what Benjamin Netanyahu has said is their right to defense.

If it matters, as you say, how Israel defends itself, where do you see the line between aggression and defense and our power as Israel's ally to -- to do something?

HARRIS: OK, a lot to unpack in what you just said. So, let's start with this. I absolutely believe that this war has to end. And it has to end as soon as possible.

And the way that will be achieved is by getting a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done. And we are working around the clock to achieve that end. Stepping back, October 7, 1,200 Israelis were slaughtered. And actually, some Americans, by the way, in that number. Slaughtered. Young people who were attending a concert. Women were horribly raped.

And yes, so I have said, Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And...

MOSELY: But Madam Vice President, I think my ask...

HARRIS: No, no, let me finish.

MOSELY: ...is the difference between aggression and defense.

HARRIS: No. But it's important to put it in context, which is what I'm doing, and I'll get to that. And so, how it does so matters.

And far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Women and children. We have seen with horror the images coming out of Gaza, and we have to take that seriously. And we have to agree that not only must we end this war, but we have to have a goal of a two-state solution because there must be stability and peace in that reason, in as much as what we do in our goal is to ensure that Israelis have security and Palestinians in equal measure have security, have self- determination and dignity.

DANIELS: A question for you on that, though, what levers does the U.S. have to support Palestinians in their right to self-determination. And is it even possible as Israel's ally?

HARRIS: Well, absolutely. I will tell you, I have been actively involved in, for example, meeting not only with Israeli officials, but with Arab officials to talk about how we can construct a day after scenario where we participate in ensuring those exact goals that I outlined, including as part of the principles that should be applied to those goals, that there be no reoccupation of Gaza, that there be no changing of the territorial lines in Gaza, that there be an ability to have security in the region for all concerned in a way that we create stability and let's let us also recognize in a way that ensures that Iran is not empowered in this whole scenario in terms of the peace and stability of the region.

But absolutely, the United States of America absolutely has a role, which is why we have been active, in particular with the Qataris and the Egyptians, around attempting to get a deal done and get it done as quickly as possible.

DANIELS: Madam Vice President, just to follow up really quickly, is there a specific policy change that you by as president of the United States would say you would do that would help this along because you know, you've gotten a lot of credit for, emphasizing the humanity of Palestinians. But what I often hear from folks is that there's no policy change that would, that -- that either you or the president -- President Biden have gone and said they would do.

Is there a specific policy change as president that you would do in our helping of Israel?

HARRIS: We need to get this deal done. And we need to get it done immediately, and that is my position, and that is my policy. We need to get this deal done.

DANIELS: But in the way that we send weapons, in the way that we interact as their ally, are there specific policy changes?

HARRIS: Well, Eugene, for example, one of the things that we have done that I am entirely supportive of is the pause that we've put on the 2,000-pound bombs. And so, there is some leverage that we have had and used.

[14:50:05]

But ultimately, the thing that is going to unlock everything else in that region is getting this deal done.

And I can -- I'm not going to disclose private conversations, but I will tell you, I've had direct conversations with, you know, the Prime Minister, with the President of Israel, with Egyptian leaders and with our allies. And I think we've made ourselves very clear, this deal needs to get done in the best interest of everyone in the region, including getting those hostages out who -- I mean, we saw the latest example of what happened with the six most recently, one of whom was an American citizen.

DANIELS: But what do you say to those that say that's not enough, that stopping the 2,000 pound bombs the one time wasn't enough, that this administration and your possible administration has to do more?

HARRIS: Well, we are doing the work of putting the pressure on all parties involved to get the deal done. But let me be very clear also -- I support Israel's ability to defend itself and I support the need for Palestinians to have dignity, self-determination, and security as we move forward and get a two-state deal done.

But right now, the thing we need to get done is this hostage deal and the ceasefire deal. We need a ceasefire, we need the hostage deal.

GAYNOR: I want to switch gears to racial justice, Madam Vice President. Last month, you eulogized Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

HARRIS: Yeah.

GAYNOR: Jackson Lee's signature bill, one of a few, was H.R.40, which would create a commission to study the history of U.S. slavery and study the issue of reparations. She introduced H.R.40 every session of Congress, taking up the mantle from Congressman John Conyers.

This is a bill that you have co-sponsored as a U.S. Senator. Yet, this has -- despite the fact that this has been -- similar commissions have been created on the state level and on the local level, it's yet to pass in Congress, let alone come out of committee.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and other advocates have called for President Biden to take executive action to -- to take -- to create this commission. Would you, as President, take executive action to create this commission, or do you believe that it should happen in Congress?

HARRIS: Well, first of all, I just -- as you mentioned Sheila Jackson Lee, she was an extraordinary leader who we just recently lost. And -- and she was a friend and a real champion for so many issues. So I'd feel compelled to say that about her.

On the issue of what we need to do going forward, look, it -- first of all, we just need to speak truth about history, in spite of the fact that some people are trying to erase history and trying to teach our children otherwise. We need to speak truth about the generational impact of our history, in terms of the generational impact of slavery, the generational impact of -- of -- of red-lining, of Jim Crow law -- I could go on and on and on. These are facts that have had impact and we need to -- we need to speak truth about it, and we need to speak truth about it in a way that is about driving solutions. And frankly, I think that we -- you know -- and part of that is -- is studying it to figure out exactly what we need to do.

But I -- part of what we can do right now is, for example, what I'm talking about in terms of building an opportunity economy, which is addressing explicitly the obstacles that historically and currently exist, and dealing with them -- student loan debt, medical debt, bias in home appraisals, what we need to do in terms of dealing with an issue that I have championed for years, black maternal mortality, which is the fact that black women are three to four times more likely to die in connection with childbirth than other women. And we know that the reasons for that include disparities that pre-exist her pregnancy, including disparities that exist in the system during her pregnancy.

So all of those things must be addressed.

GAYNOR: But do you have a position on whether that should happen -- this commission should happen through executive order or via Congress?

HARRIS: I -- I think Congress ultimately -- it -- will have the ability to do this work. I'm not discounting the importance of -- of any executive action, but ultimately Congress, because if you're going to talk about it in any substantial way, there will be hearings, there will be a -- a level of public education and dialogue that --

[14:55:06]

-- and I think that was part of the -- the spirit behind the congressional action thus far to ensure that everyone can participate in this conversation in a way that elevates knowledge about history and the reference points that have -- that are the impetus of this conversation, especially, again, when people are trying to deny history, when people are -- you know, so-called leaders are saying that enslaved people benefited from slavery.

I mean, let's talk about the delta here in terms of the work that needs to be done. It's profound.

DANIELS: Madam Vice President, I want to move to Springfield, Ohio and what's happening there. We've seen school closures, parents worried about their kids leaving the home because of racist conspiracy theories that I won't repeat here, but they have been repeated by leaders on the Republican side -- President Trump, Vice President -- excuse me, former President Trump, Vice -- and -- and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance.

From your perspective, is this just a case of irredeemable racism that can't be mitigated by any rational action, or is this a situation in which a federal response could help this community heal? There's a question of resources and ...

HARRIS: Well, not -- I'd -- I'd -- I -- I'll let you finish and then I'll speak ...

(CROSSTALK)

It's a crying shame. I mean, my heart breaks for this community. You know, there were children -- elementary school children who -- it was -- it was school photo day. You remember what that's like, going to school on picture day? Who -- dressed up in their best, got all ready, knew what they were going to wear the night before, and had to be evacuated.

Children. Children. A whole community put in fear. And I'll say a couple of things about it.

One, you know, I learned a long time ago in my career, having a background as a prosecutor, when you have these positions, when you have that kind of microphone in front of you, you really ought to understand at a very deep level how much your words have meaning.

I learned at a very young stage of my career that the meaning of my words could impact whether somebody was free or in prison. As Attorney General, I was -- of California, fifth largest economy in the world, I was acutely aware that my words could move markets.

When you are bestowed with a microphone that is that big, there is a profound responsibility that comes with that. That is an extension of what should not be lost in this moment, this concept of the public trust, to then understand what the public trust means.

It means that you have been invested with trust to be responsible in the way you use your words, much less how you conduct yourself, and especially when you have been and then seek to be again President of the United States of America.

And so I go back to it's a crying shame, literally, what's happening to those families, those children in that community, not to mention what is happening in terms of -- look, you say you care about law enforcement. Law enforcement resources being put into this because of these serious threats that are being issued against a community that is living a productive, good life before this happened.

And -- and spewing lies that are grounded in tropes, that are age-old -- and look, I said it not very far from here the other day at the debate -- this is not new. This is not new, in terms of these tropes. This is not new, in terms of where it's coming from.

And, you know, whether it is refusing to rent to people, rent to black families.

[15:00:00]

Whether it is taking out a full page ad in the New York Times against five innocent black and Latino teenagers, the Central Park Five...

LGBTQ community don't feel safe right now. Immigrants or people with an immigrant background don't feel safe right now. Women don't feel safe right now. And so yes, I feel safe. I have Secret Service protection. But that doesn't change my perspective on the importance of -- of fighting for the safety of everybody in our country and -- and doing everything we can to, again, lift people up and not beat people down so they feel alone and are made to feel small and made to feel like they're somehow not a part of it or us.

MOSELY: Madam Vice President, thank you so much for your time.

HARRIS: Thank you. Thank you.

MOSELY: Yes.

HARRIS: I've appreciated it. Thank you. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

(CROSSTALK)