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Jimmy Williams
In a live radio town hall on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris discussed her openness to slavery reparations and criticized former President Donald Trump for allegedly sending Covid-19 tests to Russia at the height of the pandemic. The conversation, held on syndicated radio host Charlamagne tha God’s popular show in Detroit, was part of Harris’ ongoing efforts to court Black voters as she nears the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign.
The vice president faced direct questions about Black voter concerns, with some guests expressing frustration over what they feel is a lack of tangible results from Democrats in exchange for their loyalty. Harris acknowledged the criticism and emphasized that she must “earn every vote.”
“I’m going to win, but it’s tight,” Harris said, showing confidence despite the challenges ahead.
During the interview, Harris linked Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin to the struggles faced by Black Americans during the pandemic. Drawing on claims from journalist Bob Woodward’s new book, she alleged that Trump sent Covid testing devices to Putin while Americans were desperate for those same resources. “Trump sent Covid tests that nobody could get to the President of Russia for his personal use, when Black people were dying every day by the hundreds,” Harris said.
She criticized Trump further, calling him “weak” for his affinity toward dictators, adding, “It’s a sign of weakness that you don’t have the courage to stand up for the Constitution of the United States.” Harris also agreed when Charlamagne suggested Trump’s support for fascism, responding, “Yes, we can say that.”
Harris also defended her stance on reparations, which she supported during her 2019 presidential run. “On the point of reparations, it has to be studied. There’s no question about that,” she reiterated, maintaining that the issue requires in-depth exploration.
As part of the town hall, Harris addressed criticisms of her record as a prosecutor, particularly on marijuana-related offenses. She clarified that she did not seek jail time for those with minor marijuana possession charges and committed to decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level if elected.
Trump’s campaign responded swiftly, pointing to polls suggesting that Black voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Janiyah Thomas, Trump’s Black media director, claimed that Harris is out of touch, saying, “In Kamala’s America, Black Americans know that we come last.”
Charlamagne tha God, a familiar face to Harris from her 2019 campaign, challenged her on topics ranging from reparations to Black voters feeling taken for granted. Harris stood by her policies and underscored the importance of repetition in messaging to connect with voters who may not be paying attention to every speech.
In a lighter moment, Harris showed her approval of Maya Rudolph’s impersonation of her on Saturday Night Live, calling it “comedy” she admires.
The interview represents Harris’ broader strategy of engaging directly with Black voters as the election nears, with Trump also vying for their support in key battleground states.
