WATERTOWN, Wis. — When Sharon McMahon, “America’s Government Teacher,” interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris during the second-in-command’s March visit to Minnesota, Biden’s age was enough of a concern that it came up during the conversation — which was made up almost entirely of softball questions.
When McMahon brought up a USA Today-Suffolk University poll “suggesting that perhaps independent voters have not yet been convinced that you are capable of being the president, which you have said you are,” Harris responded, “If I listened to polls, I would never have run for my first or second office.”
Answering McMahon’s question about what misconceptions voters might have about her, Harris listed her résumé: the first woman San Francisco district attorney, the first woman California attorney general in California and her time as a US senator.
“It is about people having information to be able to inform their opinions, and I think that’s important,” Harris said on what the polling means to her.
A Newsweek analysis of recent polling on Harris’ and former President Donald Trump’s favorability ratings concluded the two have similar ratings, although polling results vary. A FiveThirtyEight analysis gave Trump a 53.7% unfavorability rating, while Harris had a 50.4% unfavorability rating on July 17.
McMahon’s almost-20-minute interview with the vice president also touched on Harris’ response to the large number of uncommitted voters in the Minnesota Democratic primary, third-party candidates and what’s at stake in the election.
Harris appeared relatively at ease and well-informed in the friendly interview, in which McMahon questioned her on some of the social-media influencer’s niche issues.
McMahon has a following of more than 1 million on Instagram, hosts a podcast and writes a blog for her “Governerds,” as her followers are called. She regularly interprets political, legal and policy news for her followers, answers their questions and encourages voting.
The veep did make one flub — or was it a Freudian slip? Harris did another “I will — I mean Joe Biden will” during the interview.
Harris repeatedly referred to the Biden administration’s $35 cap on insulin costs for seniors, abortion, Medicare drug negotiation and infrastructure investments during the interview.
What to know about President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race — after weeks of prominent Democrats and donors calling on him to withdraw following his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate.
- In a letter posted on X Sunday afternoon, Biden admitted that it is in the “best interest of my party and country” for him to step down as the Democratic nominee.
- Biden wrote that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term and will address the country on his decision later this week.
- In a follow-up X post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the suddenly open Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” the president wrote.
- Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news by labeling Biden the “worst president in the history of our country” in a call with CNN.
McMahon asked Harris about the 19% of Democratic voters in the Minnesota presidential primary in Minnesota who voted uncommitted “because you need them to show up.”
“They matter,” Harris responded, “and we care about them.”
“We respect the fact that people feel very strongly about what we are witnessing,” Harris said, presumably referring to the Israel-Hamas war.
The latest on President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- Biden drops out of presidential race after Democratic revolt following disastrous debate: ‘Best interest of the country’
- Biden drops out of presidential race: live updates
- NY Dems are already lining up behind Kamala Harris to replace Biden — with these big exceptions
- Biden delayed dropping out partly because he doubted Harris’ chances against Trump: report
- Miranda Devine: Joe Biden is too frail to run in 2024 but he’s still our president?
Asked what’s at stake in the election, Harris asserted, “It is very important that right now . . . the first war in Europe in 70 years that there be leadership of the United States government who understands the importance of standing with our allies and continuing to strengthen military alliances that we have in the context of NATO.”
Harris said Trump was responsible for the overturn of Roe v. Wade thanks to the justices he appointed to the Supreme Court: “That’s what he did and now we’re experiencing a health-care crisis in America because of it.”
A YouGov and CBS poll from July 16 to 18 shows Trump with a 3-point lead over Harris in a matchup at 51% to 48%.