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Laura Coates Live
CNN Interviews Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired August 29, 2024 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I have a problem with that as well. That's not -- that's -- that's -- that's not the role of government. But with that said, a disciplined Trump would point the contrast. It is not about providing a tax credit. What is your plan to create more houses in the market generally speaking?
DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER OBAMA SENIOR ADVISER: -- Isn't that kind of an action more on disciplined Trump?
SINGLETON: Well, I mean, David, I'm a strategist, so I mean, I have to say what he should do, right?
(LAUGHTER)
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: He is laying out the ideal case scenario for Republicans. Everyone, thank you so much for watching. "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Welcome to a special edition of "Laura Coates Live" on this major night in American politics. Vice President Kamala Harris sitting down for her very first interview since becoming the Democratic nominee. We're going to break it all down for you this hour, the key moments, the new reaction we're getting in, and what it all means for the race moving forward with just 68 days to go until the general election, and by the way, just 12 days until the expected debate.
In a moment, I'll be joined by the Harris campaign's co-chair, Mitch Landrieu, and one of Trump's top allies, Republican Congressman Mike Waltz of Florida.
My colleague, Dana Bash, covered a lot of ground in this interview with Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz. It was about 27 minutes long, and she dove right into one of the main criticisms that Harris has been facing ever since she got to the top of the ticket. How she explains her shifts, or as her critics would say, her flip- flops on some very key issues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: In 2019, I believe, at a town hall, you said, you were asked, would you commit to implementing a federal ban on fracking on your first day in office? And you said, there's no question I'm in favor of banning fracking. So, yes. So, it changed in that campaign?
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In 2020, I made very clear where I stand. We are in 2024, and I have not changed that position, nor will I going forward. I kept my word, and I will keep my word.
BASH: What made you change that position at the time?
HARRIS: Well, let's be clear: My values have not changed. What I have seen is that we can -- we can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.
BASH: Just one other question about something that you said in 2019 when you first ran. There was a debate. You raised your hand when asked whether or not the border should be decriminalized. Do you still believe that?
HARRIS: I believe there should be consequence. We have laws that have to be followed and enforced, that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally, and there should be consequences.
BASH: Generally speaking, how should voters look at some of the changes that you've made, that you've explained some of here, in your policy? Is it because you have more experience now and you've learned more about the information? Is it because you were running for president in a democratic primary? And should they feel comfortable and confident that what you're saying now is going to be your policy moving forward?
HARRIS: Dana, I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: With me now, Bryan Lanza, former deputy communications director for the Trump 2016 campaign, Karen Finney, CNN political commentator, Alex Thompson, CNN political analyst and national political reporter at Axios, Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Vice President Harris, and Kristen Soltis Anderson, CNN political commentator and Republican pollster.
I will say a dynamite roundtable, well, half roundtable discussion. I want to get right into it though, Ashley, because there was a lot at stake for an interview like this. There are very few data points for the voters to look at. You've got this, you've got the debate, you've got obviously rallies in between. But a key goal of this interview was to be able to go in depth and understand more of her policy positions. Did she accomplish that?
ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I think she did. I mean, I think also part of the goal was to also answer the criticisms that was coming from the Republican party and from Donald Trump. And I think she did that.
I think the other thing she achieved so especially well is she looked in command. She looked strong. She looked very comfortable answering those very tough questions. And I think hats off to her. I mean, she's demonstrating that she's ready for the job, that she can handle the tough questions, the criticisms not affecting her in any sort of real way.
But I would love to -- well, I know Republicans are going to get to a question about her.
COATES: Go ahead, get to it.
ETIENNE: Oh, okay. So, I mean, I think the part that I was -- that was the strongest was this answer about my values haven't changed. That was the strongest answer. You know, I've done two tools -- two tours of duty in the White House, and I would tell you, you don't know what you don't know until you get into that room. And just day one, we put her in the PDB, the Presidential Daily Briefing, with the president.
[23:05:02]
And that is transformative. When you get into that room and you hear what is not being reported on the news about the state of our nation, about the state of our world and what's at stake, I mean, that transforms you. When you spend three years on the trail, talking and meeting with people and listening and hearing from you, that transforms you. And she has been transformed by this particular role.
The only person that's dynamic that has not been transformed in eight years is Donald Trump. He's the same guy that came down that escalator calling Mexicans rapists. He has not been transformed, not by anything he has seen in the White House or his engagements with the American people.
So, I think that was a strong answer. And to say that my values have remained core and centered and have centered me throughout, I thought was strong. And I think it's something that is very relatable, and that's what the American people want in their leader. They want someone who's going to take information, process it, and have that inform their decision making, and that's what she demonstrated.
COATES: You don't agree.
BRYAN LANZA, FORMER DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TRUMP 2016 CAMPAIGN: Listen, the American people want a better economy, they want inflation addressed, they want to be able to afford the groceries this weekend, they want to be able to afford gas prices. That's what the American people want. That's what voters are telling us, that the American people are asking for.
You know, the -- her interview, she checked a box. She spoke for 16 minutes. I don't think it answered any of the policy questions that -- or sort of where does she stand now. I think the one question that she sorts of delved into was fracking, and we learned after the fact that she made this declarative statement: I made my position known in 2020 during the debate of where I stand. Well, that position in 2020, that debate was not actually her position that she was stating, she was stating Joe Biden's position on fracking, that he wouldn't switch on it.
So, you know, I still have questions where she is on fracking. We've spent a lot of time. She clearly doesn't want to answer the question. And I'll tell you why she doesn't want to answer the fracking question.
COATES: Karen --
LANZA: Because her San Francisco values are out of the mainstream of Pennsylvania. You know, fracking has been a long part of her issues when she was attorney general, when she was district attorney. That's who she is. So, coming forward and trying to say this flip took place, which she doesn't want to address, she doesn't want to answer, which is actually her position, is just not going to fly between now and November.
KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think she was very declarative about that. Dana asked her very point blank, and she said, are you for fracking? She said, no. She said, this was my position in 2020. And the difference is she actually has a record. She has not been advocating that the Biden-Harris administration take up a fracking agenda over the last several years. We have not heard that. We've heard other things that she has pushed.
And, obviously, Ashley knows quite well some of the other initiatives where she has leaned in in terms of different issues. But look, I think she was very clear about that. And she was very clear -- I think one of the things, the question about values, right? What people, what voters are really asking you is, can I trust you? Can I trust you're going to get up every day and make a good decision and do your best for me and my family? That's really what this is about.
COATES: Well, also consistency, she was addressing, right?
FINNEY: Correct. But I think we would all want to know that we have leaders who, when they get new information, more information, are able to change their opinions. For example, someone like President Biden, I very much respect that he has had the journey of millions of Americans who maybe at one point had mixed feelings about, had different feelings about reproductive freedom and abortion access. And now, he understands why every woman has a very different health situation and we can't just do a one size fits all.
Now, the difference being, here's what I think is really important in this. She actually twice in the interview talked very specifically about the value and the goal in terms of, is it about limiting climate emissions? What is the value? What is it we're trying to accomplish?
And what did we do in a number of different policy pieces of the policy agenda where investments were made, where you address those issues, where you set time limits? That's very different than someone like former President Trump who said, hey, I'm real proud of what I did to overturn Roe v. Wade by appointing these judges. But now, he says, well, but now I got to get elected, so I'm just not going to talk about it.
COATES: Yeah.
FINNEY: So, if we want to talk about trust and consistency, there's a difference in your values maintaining themselves and you're trying to solve a problem versus you're saying, I just have to get elected.
COATES: All right, so is this -- I mean, one of the overarching questions for any campaign and pushing her to do the interview, you mentioned the idea of, you know, silencing in many ways to critics who said, it has been too long, why aren't you speaking? You're talking about checking a box. How about moving a needle?
"The Wall Street Journal" poll found that 84% of respondents said they know enough about Harris. They know enough about her. If that's the case, does the interview itself move the needle or is this about something more about optics?
ALEX THOMPSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR AXIOS: Well, these are two different questions of, is it a good political strategy to sit for these interviews, or should she sit for these interviews? And the answer --
COATES: Answer both.
THOMPSON: Well, I'm not a political strategist. That's much more Karen and Ashley's department. But I can say, as a reporter, I think she definitely should because she has changed her position on a lot of very big issues. You know, the fact that Medicare For All would be a huge overhaul of the American health care system, and she no longer supports that.
[23:10:04]
Why? What are her first priorities as president? And I feel like her answer, just talking to some Democrats right afterward, her answer still doesn't make clear what are her first pieces of legislation when she would be president.
That being said, I talked to a bunch of Democrats today. They basically have all -- there was sort of a collective exhale, including from Harris advisors, Biden advisors, because they know that some of her worst moments as vice president have come when she does not give a confident interview. You know, they weren't exactly thrilled with this performance or at least parts of it. They thought she did well, but not amazing.
And the thing is there's this whole debate going on among people that have known her for a long time. Is this the new Kamala or the old Kamala? The new Kamala is the one that America has seen, that we've seen the last six weeks, that she's incredibly confident on the stump. She has really just taken control of this race, dominated earned media, in a way that actually some people remember her being in California.
Then there's the 2019-2020 Kamala Harris, who at times seemed on her back foot and did not always seem super comfortable. And which one we get could determine the outcome of this election. COATES: Well, one person we got today was a woman who was quite determined not to take the bait when it comes to consistently having to address what the former president has to say about her other -- whether it's her race or her gender. In fact, do we have that sound to play for everyone to remind them how she actually responded to this? Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: I want to ask you about your opponent, Donald Trump.
HARRIS: Okay.
BASH: I was a little bit surprised. People might be surprised to hear that you have never interacted with him, met him face-to-face.
HARRIS: Uh-hmm.
BASH: That's going to change soon. But what I want to ask you about is what he said last month. He suggested that you happened to turn Black recently for political purposes, questioning a core part of your identity.
HARRIS: Yeah. Same old, tired playbook. Next question, please.
(LAUGHTER)
BASH: That's it?
HARRIS: That's it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: You know, that's it. She didn't want to address it further. She didn't lean into it further. I do wonder strategically the why. Why?
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: I think that this campaign has taken a big pivot from the Biden approach, which Biden's approach had been to say Donald Trump is this apocalyptic threat. He is offensive to everything we believe, et cetera.
And the Harris approach has been more Donald Trump is, whether it was the weird stuff or this is almost suggesting he's boring, aren't you all tired of the Trump show? And in a way, Donald Trump's real strength over the years has always been love him or hate him. He knows how to get eyeballs, right?
And so, it's leaning into this idea that, like, aren't you just tired of it? Isn't it a little boring? Isn't it a little stale at this stage? So, of all the answers she gave, that was one where I can understand and see the sort of strategy there.
COATES: Ashley, why? ETIENNE: No, I mean, I think she's trying to paint him as small. As, you know, he is a small character, and I think that's what he's trying to do. I mean, my gut reaction was, well, when did you become orange? I mean, what kind of color foundation is that?
(LAUGHTER)
Like, how did that come about, you know? But nevertheless, I think -- I think Kristen is right that, you know, the objective is to really let Trump be Trump. That's the strategy. Let him put on full display who he is. He's nasty, small, he's petty. That's who you want him to be at every turn. You want him to do these press conferences. You want him to have the mic on during the debate because you want people to be reminded of who he is.
And when they see him, the more they see him, the more they're reminded of why they don't like him. I mean, again, "The Wall Street Journal," you know, who -- I don't know any other publication that has been more favorable to Republicans, made the point that the Republican Party's problem is their candidate, it's Donald Trump. And that's what the vice president did there. She put on full display, the problem is him, it's not me.
And this is not who we are as Americans. This is inconsistent with who we are. This is beneath what -- the office of the presidency.
COATES: Everyone, stand by. We're going to talk more about this interview. Donald Trump reacting actually to the Harris interview, calling it boring on Truth Social tonight and saying that he is not impressed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And she didn't look like a leader to me, I'll be honest. I don't see her negotiating with President Xi of China. I don't see her with Kim Jong-un like we did with Kim Jong-un.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: With me now, Mitch Landrieu, national co-chair of the Harris- Walz campaign. Mitch, good to see you. I mean, Trump also wrote, by the way, that he agrees that her values haven't changed and suggested that her policies will be more in line with the Harris of 2019 than the one of today. I wonder, what's your response to his statements about her interview?
MITCH LANDRIEU, CO-CHAIR, HARRIS-WALZ CAMPAIGN: Well, when he looks into the mirror, he sees the king of the world. Unfortunately, nobody else in the world sees that.
[23:14:57]
I think the most striking thing about the interview tonight for me was how normal the vice president and the governor seemed. And what a sense of relief that I think most Americans have had, that you had two people that were obviously smart, they're talented, they're knowledgeable, they answered every question.
There wasn't one sense of anger in anything that they did. They tried as best as they could to respond to the questions that Dana asked, and I thought she conducted an excellent interview.
And I think America kind of took a breath and thought, oh my God, this is what a new pathway to the future looks like, because America is not going to forget that this is a choice. It's a choice between Donald Trump, who when basically his lips are moving, he's lying. He's a 34- time convicted felon, he has been determined to be a sexual abuser, he has been found liable for business fraud, he has gone bankrupt six times, and he can't seem to keep his mouth shut any part of any day.
Now, that's who we're running against, his values. And by the way, he hasn't changed one lick from the minute that he came down that elevator, so we know what we're getting, and a guy who continues to put himself first, continues to engage in grievance. That's who she's running against.
So, if you look at that interview that the vice president did in that context, you have to kind of just say, thank God, we're finally going to have a leader of this country that thinks about the regular people in a way that we think about ourselves.
COATES: It was quite the split screen. And one of the first things she said that she'd focus on were middle-class voters, to your point. I do wonder, though, will we see her do another one-on-one interview or a one-on-one, not having Walz present, or a town hall where she takes questions from voters exclusively?
LANDRIEU: Well, first of all, this myth that she hasn't done interviews is just a myth. She has actually done 80 interviews this year. The second myth is that she should have done this by herself.
COATES: Well, I mean -- excuse me, I do mean -- I want to finish. I want you to finish. I just want to be clear in my question. I mean, since becoming the head of the ticket.
LANDRIEU: I -- thank you -- thank you for clarifying your question. But people have indicated that she hasn't done interviews. That's not true. She has faced the media for the last four years, she has done 80 this year, and then she did one as a candidate. Other presidential candidates, their first interview, all of them have been with the vice-presidential candidates.
The third thing that I would like to point out to you is she's great at this. So, my expectation is she's going to do plenty more. There's no reason why she won't. I think that what the American people saw today was a very competent, smart person who has learned the hard work of governing well. I think she's going to continue to demonstrate that. That's why I think America is going to be for a new pathway forward that she's talking about.
COATES: I'm curious as to your take on what some recall and have called flip-flopping in the past. She addressing as a consistent messaging and her values unchanged. How do you think that she plans to go forward talking about distinguishing herself from the Biden-Harris administration and trying to create a sense of a Harris-Walz administration where there is some distance, even if there is consistency, but her evolution as a vice president added in?
LANDRIEU: Well, let me -- let me try to address that in three points. First of all, it's a good thing for an elected official over time when they learn more and they're actually governing in order to get things done, find compromises that make sense. It is true that the Biden- Harris administration has had the largest investment in creating a clean energy economy, but we have to do it in a way that is not more hurtful than has to be given the time that we have.
And so, it's not really dishonorable to say, listen, I've changed because I've learned more. That's actually a good thing. I want to juxtapose that to, for example, Donald Trump jettisoning the border bill because he thought that it was good for political gain, or how well President Biden brought together a very narrow House in the Senate to pass more -- bigot the four pieces of legislation that was seen in the last 30 years. That's a good thing. It's not a bad thing.
Secondly, there should be no doubt that as the vice president, she basically has to take the position of the president, and Tim Walz will do that with her when they're fighting behind closed doors. But to be clear, in case anybody is not clear by now, Kamala Harris is her own person, and she will develop her own positions going forward that you should just expect will not always be the same as what President Biden might have done.
COATES: Well, let me ask you about the debate. ABC says the mics are going to be muted on September 10th while the opponent speaks.
(LAUGHTER)
You laugh. I do wonder why. Will these rules not apply?
LANDRIEU: I don't -- listen, I don't know. You know what? What I'm so tickled by is that Trump's own people are trying to shut him up. That's the thing that tickles me the most. He's even, you know, tweeting out and his -- and his campaign is saying, no, he didn't really mean that. He didn't mean that about IVF, he didn't mean that about the abortion ban, he didn't mean that about his position.
So, evidently, they're having trouble inside of Trump world just kind of lassoing this guy and keeping him where he needs to be. So, you know, I don't know. If you turn the mics off, he's going to yell. If you leave the mics on, he's going to yell. So, he's going to be what he's going to be because he has not changed. He is the same rotten person that he has been since he stepped on the national stage, and he's going to continue to do that.
And why in the world America would want to put a bat in the hands of somebody that's going to use it against him is beyond me. And I don't think the American people are going to do that.
[23:20:00]
COATES: Will Harris debate mute or not?
LANDRIEU: Uh, you know, I -- they're trying to work out the details. From our perspective, it doesn't matter one way or the other. She's going to show up. You don't have to worry about that. She has a -- she said as a district attorney, as the attorney general, face down people like Donald Trump who have done the same egregious things that he has done, and she will be there ready to go. And, you know, it's time to put the microphone debate to rest and let's just get ready to rumble.
COATES: Mitch Landrieu, thank you so much.
LANDRIEU: Good to be with you.
COATES: Another big interview coming up tomorrow. Make sure to tune in for Trump's running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, right here on CNN at 8:15 a.m.
Much more on tonight's exclusive CNN interview ahead. Harris says she'd appoint a Republican to her cabinet. The question is, who?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: No -- no one in particular in mind. I got -- we got 68 days to go with this election. So, I'm not putting the cart before the horse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: But would it help if she had some names in mind? My panel weighs in next. And ahead, a top Trump ally is here to react to the big interview. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: You had a lot of Republican speakers at the convention. Will you appoint a Republican to your cabinet?
HARRIS: Yes, I would. Yes, I would.
BASH: Anyone in mind?
HARRIS: No -- no one in particular in mind. I got -- we got 68 days to go with this election. So, I'm not putting the cart before the horse. But I would. I think -- I think it's really important. I have spent my career inviting. 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. And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my cabinet who is a Republican.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: That was Vice President Kamala Harris in tonight's CNN exclusive interview. Let's bring back in my panel. Kristen, does the American elector have an appetite for the diversity of opinions to show in the cabinet post? Would this move needle for voters?
SOLTIS ANDERSON: I'm sure if I asked people in a poll, how much do you care about ideological diversity in the cabinet, it would pull much lower than, are you going to do something to bring down the cost of living, et cetera? But I do think, you know, earlier in the show, you showed a poll number that there were about one out of six voters that say they still don't know enough about Harris. But that's kind of the profile of the very sort of voter, a swing voter who still doesn't know that much about her. They're still trying to figure out, is she San Francisco left progressive or is she actually this new centrist she says she is? Statements like that, even if they don't have much meat on the bone, she doesn't have a name, she doesn't have a position, she just says, I'm open to a Republican --
LANZA: But --
SOLTIS-ANDERSON: -- it's trying to be a signal to that kind of a voter.
LANZA: Yeah, I agree with you there.
SOLTIS-ANDERSON: Sure, I promise, I'll -- there's room for someone like you at my table.
LANZA: But I would add, you ultimately still have to look at a record. I mean, she was attorney general of California. Immigration was a huge issue in California. She never reached out to any of the Republicans there to help with the issue.
She was the -- she was the border person. I won't use the borders or everybody gets defensive, but she was the border person.
FINNEY: I know but I just disagree with you about the role that you played as attorney general where she actually --
LANZA: It was in California. I know the policy really well.
FINNEY: Yeah, and she actually led a delegation of attorneys general from around the country to meet with the attorney general of Mexico to try to address issues of human trafficking, transnational crime, gangs, drugs and guns.
LANZA: But that delegation did not have Republicans, if memory serves me correctly.
FINNEY: If memory serves me, I believe it did.
LANZA: I would double check that because, you know, even -- let's move forward to when she was in the Biden administration. She had this border position. I say czar, everybody wants to argue with me, fine. But how many Republicans did she reach out to during that time? Zero. So, I think we know where she stands. She's just throwing it out there because it's smart politics.
ETIENNE: But the reality is, you know, I think as the mayor was talking about, the big pieces of legislation that this administration has passed in a bipartisan way, everything from infrastructure to guns, you think she had no part in that? Of course, she's making phone calls and reaching out to Republicans. So, to suggest that she has not reached across the aisle to pass big pieces of legislation to build consensus is not true, are factual.
THOMPSON: Listen, I've watched every single ad that the Trump campaign is running right now, and one consistent theme is dangerously liberal. And the whole reason why she's committing to put a Republican in the cabinet is to try to confront that and say, no, I'm not that liberal and I'm not that dangerous.
COATES: Well, how do progressives see this?
FINNEY: I think progressives see this as -- it would depend on who the person is and what the role would be. But look, at the end of the day, she's the president. I think progressives trust her. Again, it comes down to, do you trust this person to make good decisions? And I think when you look at her record, I go back to what she herself said in her speech last week for the people, she has talked about a record where consistently that is what has guided her decisions.
What she didn't say as directly as I'll say right now, the contrast is that is never what Donald Trump has ever made his life in -- it's not really public service about, it has always been about him, and I think that's the main contrast point.
THOMPSON: Well, to Karen's point, it's actually really remarkable how little grumbling there are from progressives who love to whine, by the way.
LANZA: Correct.
THOMPSON: And she has abandoned many left-wing positions. And people are just like, nope, we're all on board, let's beat Trump.
COATES: Okay, but who? Who? Who, who, who? Who is the Republican? What would be the cabinet post? Any ideas of who would be the least problematic that would give permission structure to maybe independents or persuadable Republicans who are looking for a reason to jump ship?
FINNEY: But, you know, that's a hard question to answer also because not many Republicans are likely to come forward now until after let's say she wins. And then you might see more people saying, okay, I'd be -- I'd be open to doing it. So, it's not just it's -- it's putting it out there is half of it. The other half of it is who would be interested in doing it.
ETIENNE: Well, she's got a lot of good options. I mean, you know, there's a lot of --
THOMPSON: Take Adam Kinzinger (ph). Take him.
[23:30:00]
ETIENNE: Former cabinet secretary.
FINNEY: Any day and twice on Sunday. Bless him and thank him for his service to this country.
COATES: Well, let's talk about --
LANZA: Secretary of the Air Force (INAUDIBLE). I think he serves in the Air National Guard. That could be a good place for him.
COATES: Well, there you go. You've already decided what's going to happen. Let's see what she says about that. Let's talk about the issue of reproductive rights because this is going to be a very important issue. It continues to be since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
There was this moment that was when Walz was asked about the question, about -- he was pressed about saying that he and his wife had IVF when they actually underwent IUI, a similar but different procedure for a variety of reasons. It doesn't have the same description. But is this something that the voters are really looking at, the nuance and the detail there, and did he effectively address this point?
SOLTIS ANDERSON: I don't know that they're looking at the nuance and the detail of somebody's very personal medical history. I have been very public about being glad that he's sorts of talked about his story. I wish it had a little more precision to it if he is going to get into the details.
But nevertheless, it is really tough politics for Republicans right now when Democrats are trying to frame them as being anti-IVF. That's why Donald Trump has frankly come out today. He's making waves and kind of ruffling some feathers on the right by saying, not only do I support IVF, I believe IVF should be covered by health insurance.
LANZA: Oh, there --
SOLTIS ANDERSON: It will be interesting to see to what extent, in the same way that progressives have kind of given a very long leash to Kamala Harris to pivot to the center, to what extent does the pro-life movement give Donald Trump a really long leash to try to pivot to the center on this issue.
LANZA: I mean, I've already gotten angry text messages from the pro- life movement saying what the hell is going on. So --
COATES: Over the IVF?
LANZA: Oh, absolutely. Trump is saying that insurance policies are going to be mandated or that the government is going to pay for it. Like, that is a huge issue to the pro-life movement, and there are people that are upset. But at the end of the day, this is what leaders do. They sort of pick a position where the party, and the party has to follow them. Trump has picked the position of IVF and the party is going follow them, whether they like it or not. Trump is the president, and he's going to make the decisions just like when if Kamala were to be president, she'd make the decisions, and progressives would have to follow. That's just the nature of politics.
ETIENNE: Here's the thing. The American people should not be fooled by this attempt by Donald Trump to rebrand himself as somehow pro- reproductive rights for women. I mean, that's incredibly laughable. The fact that the Senate, Republicans in the Senate tried to pass a bill to outlaw and to ban IVF, I mean, speaks volumes about who they are as a party. So --
LANZA: Yeah, but Trump is the leader of the party. When he says that, that's going to have a powerful impact.
FINNEY: But Trump has also said he's got to get elected.
ETIENNE: And reversing well.
FINNEY: So, he's pretty much willing to take any position he can.
ETIENNE: The reality is, those are inconsistent positions. So, my only caution to the American people, and I don't think anyone is going to buy this, is to don't believe this hype.
COATES: Well, everyone, stand by. We have more about this important point. That's a cliffhanger. You had your finger up. Whatever. More on the interview ahead in just a moment. I have Trump ally, Congressman Mike Waltz. He is here to respond to some of what Harris said.
Plus, is Donald Trump going to oppose or support Florida's six-week abortion ban this November? The statement he made tonight on this very topic, only to have his campaign try and walk it back, is next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, I think the sixth week is too short. It has to be more time. And so that's -- and I've told them that I want more weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[23:35:00]
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COATES: Donald Trump has bragged about being the president that ended Roe v. Wade, making it a major campaign selling point with his base, which is why a lot of people were surprised when the former president said this today about an amendment on the ballot this November that could overturn Florida's six-week abortion ban.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: In Florida, the state that you are a resident of, there's an abortion-related amendment on the ballot to overturn the six-week ban in Florida. How are you going to vote on that?
TRUMP: Well, I think the six week is too short. It has to be more time. And so that's -- and I've told them that I want more weeks.
UNKNOWN: So, you'll vote in favor of the amendment?
TRUMP: I'm voting that -- I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, Trump's campaign is trying to clarify his position, saying -- quote -- "President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short."
With me now, Florida Republican congressman and Trump supporter, Mike Waltz. Congressman, good evening to you. I'm going to ask you about Vice President Harris's interview in just a moment. But I -- I do want to start with what Trump said earlier today --
REP. MIKE WALTZ (R-FL): -- All right.
COATES: -- on the Florida abortion amendment. What do you make of this statement? Do you believe that he is committing to his position on abortion or is he giving some room for change?
WALTZ: Well, it doesn't surprise me when we want to get to Kamala in a minute, but you want to go to this first. So -- so look, President Trump has been clear and J.D. Vance said definitively that he would veto any type of national abortion law, and what was so important about Roe versus Wade was that it took it out of the courts, basically legislating on the issue, and it sent it back to the states, which have legislated on it. And importantly, it put it in the hands of voters, and voters are going to vote and continue to vote across the country.
And really, what's at -- you know, really what at stake here is that each individual is deciding a very difficult debate. When does life begin? And that's the crux of the debate. And therefore, when does that child deserve the protections of the law? Research has shown that children can feel pain now at 15 weeks.
[23:40:00]
That's very different than the -- than the 70s. And many people believe that it's either at conception or at the heartbeat. And so, voters are going to vote, including in Florida.
COATES: You described the breadth of the arguments in favor and against. But if he does want more than six weeks, congressman, then he'd have to vote in support of the amendment. So why not just say that?
WALTZ: Well, I'll let President Trump, you know, if he wants to talk about how he's specifically going to vote on one issue, then -- then he can vote that way. I can tell you, me personally, I'm going to vote against it. The language is so vague that it could essentially allow a doctor to make decision right up to the moment of birth. And so, are people going to get behind? And I would love to see you ask Democrats, when is it not okay to get an abortion? The day before? The week before? The month before? Uh, late term? Is that okay?
I think the vast majority of voters don't think that's okay, and we'll work that out at the ballot box.
COATES: Voters will have to take account of all those positions. Congressman, let me move on to another point. You've been critical of Biden and also Harris's handling of the crisis at the border. And in her interview with Dana Bash, Harris blamed Trump for torpedoing the bipartisan border bill that the White House tried to pass earlier this year. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Donald Trump got word of this bill that would have -- that contributed to securing our border. And because he believes that it would not have helped him politically, he told his folks in Congress, 'Don't put it forward.' He killed the bill. A border security bill that would have put 1,500 more agents on the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: What's your reaction to her statement, and do you believe that Trump's actions undermining this bill undermine his ability to attack her on the border issue?
WALTZ: That bill would have not secured the border. In fact, the crux of it, which you've heard Kamala Harris say over and over again, pour more money into judges, pour more money into processing facilities, pour more money into beds.
Basically, they just want to process illegal immigrants into our interior faster. It would attract more migration into the United States when we know what policies worked and the policies that worked under President Trump are the ones that Biden reversed on day one, remain in Mexico, limiting parole, and having the Mexicans secure their southern border rather than just passing people through.
But what was so laughable about the interview was that she tried to address and take credit for addressing the core migration -- the core issues driving migration when the actual core issue driving migration out of the largest countries that people are fleeing are price controls, are socialist-style price controls out of Nicaragua and out of Venezuela, the very economic measure that she doubled down in this interview and said she would do to the United States. I mean, it's -- it's laughable if it weren't so serious.
COATES: Well, congressman, what I heard her saying was that her role as addressing the root causes of migration was part of her portfolio. And then she also talked about her time as a California attorney general and how that positioned her to be able to address some of the issues at the border. In fact, let me play for you what she had to say on the point that you're raising.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: I'm the only person who has prosecuted transnational criminal organizations who traffic in guns, drugs and human beings. I'm the only person in this race who actually served a border state as attorney general to enforce our laws. And I would enforce our laws as president going forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Does that give you any pause about your earlier statements regarding her ability to address these issues going forward as president?
WALTZ: But you cut out. But you cut out the part of the question where, is someone who crosses our border illegally a criminal? Did they commit a crime? And she completely dodged that question. And the other part of it is what she did do as vice president.
COATES: Actually, she said, congressmen, there'd be consequences.
WALTZ: Actually, excuse me, let me finish, I'm speaking. So, she --
COATES: I'll let you finish.
WALTZ: -- the other part of it, in terms of -- in terms of the core issues, they poured $4 billion into Central and South American. Every expert would tell you that a huge portion of that is skimmed right off the top by corrupt governments, is skimmed right off the top by cartels and gangs, and actually pouring that much money into the situation actually worsens the problem. She has not fixed the core -- the core issues and, in fact, is doubling down on price controls.
COATES: I want to make sure you're done speaking. I'll talk now.
[23:44:56]
(LAUGHTER)
The point that, and part of it, congressman, you do realize that she did address and say that she believed that there should be consequences for someone to cross the border illegally and mentioned the idea of what those consequences could possibly be. I certainly know, and she said she recognized the problem. Perhaps the next statement after that could be more comprehensive about how precisely she would as the president.
WALTZ: What are the consequences?
COATES: Well, that's what hence the reason I just --
WALTZ: Deportation, arrest --
COATES: Congressman, we're going to have to be reciprocal in our respect on this program, right?
WALTZ: But what we can't hear is -- what we can't hear is say show up to court for six years. COATES: Congressman, can we be reciprocal in our respect that I've conveyed to you? I'm going to finish the point because actually --
WALTZ: Absolutely.
COATES: -- I was giving you additional and buttressing the statement you just made when I said perhaps you could have gone beyond the statement that recognized the problem and talked about what she would do as a president of the United States. But certainly, her responses, as you have identified them, did not seem to just condone the behavior. Do you not agree?
WALTZ: Well, but again, this is on the premise that this is day one of Kamala Harris. And that interview, and I haven't seen, because she hasn't sat down for any others, much less an actual live press conference, is taking responsibility for the last three and a half years with 15 to 20 million migrants.
And every time I talk to a homeless veteran who isn't getting the services that they deserve, I talk to a school that's overcrowded, infrastructure that's being taxed, and yet you're allowing that many people to pour into our inner cities and into our communities, she needs to take responsibility for that and not pretend like day one is coming and then these ill-defined consequences. She dodged the question.
COATES: Well, we'll see what the American voters believe and whether the ill-defined, substantive answers are provided by both campaigns. That's what the American people are hoping to hear in the next 68 days. Congressman Mike Waltz, thank you for joining me.
WALTZ: All right. Thanks a lot.
COATES: Well, you know, Harris could be the first woman president, but is that what she is focused on?
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[23:50:00]
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COATES: At this point, you've probably seen the viral photo of Kamala Harris on the DNC stage with her niece in the foreground. Many commenting it looks like a young Harris watching herself become the Democratic nominee for president. Well, Dana Bash asked Harris to reflect on that moment and her identity. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: You know, I -- listen, I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment, um, for all Americans, regardless of race and gender. But I did see that photograph. And I was deeply touched by it. And, you're right, she's -- it's the back of her head, and her two little braids, and -- and then I'm in the front of the photograph obviously speaking. And it's very humbling. It's very humbling in many ways.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: My panel is back with me. Ashley, a lot of people at the DNC and a lot of people talking about her candidacy are talking about the historic nature of her candidacy. She's not leaning in fully or addressing it top of mind. Why not?
ETIENNE: Um, I think her presence says it all, and I don't think she has to say it. I, you know, worked on Obama's campaign. He didn't say it. That was sort of a whisper about the campaign, like, let's not talk about it, let's not focus on it. So, I don't think she has to. I think her presence says it all.
But I do agree with her. I think that photo was insanely moving, insanely touching. And I think what they did, the job that was so -- hats off to Mignon Moore and others that ran the convention. It was such an affirmation, it was so affirming for women, but especially for Black women. The notion that Fannie Lou Hamer came to the convention 60 years ago, to the day that Kamala Harris accepted the nomination, arguing to be seated, and now 60 years later, you have a Black woman that's accepting.
So, the fact that, you know, the convention focused on the effort of Black women to make the party realize and the country realize and live up to its ideals was very powerful. But I don't think she needs to say what's already said.
LANZA: I would say it was a smart answer to get back to that. I think it's important for -- you know, when President Obama ran, he sorts of ran as this post-partisan person, sort of this -- the country is moving.
ETIENNE: Post-partisan.
LANZA: Post-partisan, too. You know, red America, blue America, United States of America, that's post-partisan, right? And so, to have that approach, it's smart, especially as she's still undefined in many ways. It's a positive image. The photo was exceptional. I mean, listen, I'm a dad of a young girl. You look at that photo, the first thing a dad says is, like, a mom clearly did that braid because there's no way a dad could have even come close to any of those things.
(LAUGHTER)
But it is a powerful image as a dad. I looked at my daughter in that photo itself, and she answered it right. But you're still going to have to get back to the policies that just affect these families, and I think that's where you're going to have -- that's where she's going to have the issue this November.
THOMPSON: To add to that, Obama may have run as like post-racial, but Obama never thought the country was in a post-racial spot. But it's not a coincidence that her answer came after a bunch of Obama alumni just joined the campaign. LANZA: Yeah.
THOMSON: And they thought Hillary Clinton had made a mistake by doing the I'm with her messaging and sort of making that part of her campaign.
FINNEY: Yeah, look, I think she understands that what this election is about is, how are you going to be a president for everybody? And that means something different for each of us, for people who you see yourself as a father looking at that image. I see a cute little girl with braids, right? Everybody is going to see something different.
[23:54:56]
I think that's -- she's trying to keep it focused on that rather than let it -- and again, at the same time, what's powerful about her is she absolutely feels the importance of that moment. She said she felt humbled by the moment.
SOLTIS-ANDERSON: Look, women are a majority of voters in this country, but you've got to win over an awful lot of men in order to win, too. And I think by downplaying gender and staying focused on policy, that is going to be a smarter approach for her if she wants to win in November.
COATES: It also tells me just how important race and gender remain in this country that one has to be strategic about when you introduce it. Thank you so much, everyone here. And thank you all for watching. The full CNN exclusive interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, is right after this.
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BASH: Tonight, from battleground Georgia, a watershed moment in the 2024 campaign and --
