October 14, 2024, presidential campaign news | CNN Politics

Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for an interview with journalist Roland Martin and discussed a range of issues, including her pitch for an “opportunity economy,” sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump and how her campaign is working to counter his appeals to Black voters.

“Look at in the context of how he actually thinks and talks about Black folks in America,” Harris told Martin. “And you and I have talked about this before, he is not looking out for folks when he is — when he was a landlord, and would not rent to black families. Sued for it. When he took out a full-page ad in the New York Times against those five teenagers, Black and Latino, who were innocent, saying they should be executed. The Central Park Five. When you look at – the first black president of the United States and he had birther lies,” Harris added.

She continued, “And now you look at Black immigrants, legal immigrants, in Springfield, Ohio, and he gets on a debate stage, and says they’re eating their pets. Come on. This man is dangerous.”

Harris went on to question Trump’s fitness for office and accused his staff of shielding him from scrutiny, seizing on his decision to forego a second debate, or sit for an interview with 60 Minutes.

“Every president for the last half century has done one, anyone who is running for president. Everyone has done it, except Donald Trump. He will not debate me again. I’ve put out my medical records, he won’t put out his medical records. And you have to ask, why is his staff doing that? And it may be because they think he’s just not ready, and unfit, and unstable, and should not have that level of transparency for the American people. There’s a real choice in this election,” Harris said.

The vice president was also asked about the contest for battleground North Carolina, where she sat for the interview, and potential threats to voting rights, particularly for Black Americans.

“Well and so you know, I think that we should all, whoever is in North Carolina watching this, Josh Stein running for governor, it’s going to be very important – pay attention to those state House races, because if they can change the balance in the state House, then they will be able to push through more protections for voting rights,” Harris responded.

Harris went on to criticize attempts to restrict voting expansions that took place during the pandemic.