From opportunity economy to gun control: Key takeaways from Kamala Harris' first solo interview

After a strong performance in the first presidential debate, US Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for her first solo interview. Interestingly, Harris gave the exclusive to ABC’s local station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Friday. The network conducted the showdown between the Democratic presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump.

Harris participated in her first interview with her running mate Tim Walz,  after assuming the presidential nomination. During the interview, the 59-year-old vice president insisted that she offers a “new generation of leadership” that is focusing on “investing in areas that need a lot of work.”

“When I talk about building an opportunity economy it is very much in mind with investing in the ambitions and aspirations of the incredible American people and creating opportunity for people, for example, starting a small business,” Harris said. Here are some of the key takeaways from Harris’ one-on-one conversation with ABC.

Economy

Elaborating on her plans for the opportunity economy, Harris spoke about providing a $50,000 tax deduction to new startups and small businesses. “Nobody can start a small business with $5,000,” she said. The Democratic presidential nominee also pledged to work on the “housing supply shortage” by providing first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 downpayment assistance to ensure the American dream is no longer “elusive” for young citizens.

Harris also plans to expand the child tax credit to $6,000 for young families for the first year of their child’s life. “I was raised to believe and to know that all people deserve dignity,” Harris said. “We as Americans have a beautiful character. We have ambitions and aspirations and dreams but not everyone necessarily has the resources that allow them to fuel those dreams and ambitions,” the vice president furthered.

‘Country before party’ 

Harris mentioned how 200 Republicans who worked for the Trump administration are supporting her. She urged the GOP to put the country before the party to make the United States “stronger and healthier”.

“I, based on experience and a lived experience, know – in my heart I know, in my soul I know that the vast majority of us Americans have so much more in common than separates us,” Harris said.

“I also believe I am accurate in knowing that most Americans want a leader who brings us together as Americans and not someone who professes to be a leader who’s trying to have us point our fingers at each other. I think people are exhausted with that approach, to be honest with you,” she added.

Gun control

One of the main topics of discussion in Harris’ one-on-one interview was the issue of gun control. The vice president emphasised that this is the issue everyone agrees on. “I feel very strongly that it is consistent with the Second Amendment and your right to own a gun to also say we need an assault weapons ban,” the Democratic presidential hopeful averred.

“They’re literally tools of war. They were literally designed to kill a lot of human beings quickly,” she added. While responding to Trump’s jabs at the debate, Harris mentioned that both she and Walz are gun owners. “Tim Walz and I are both gun owners,” she said. “We’re not taking anybody’s guns away. So stop with the continuous lying about this stuff.”

Harris’s short interview came at a time when Trump’s campaign had been keeping count of the number of days since Harris spoke to the media.