Chris Wallace: Kamala Harris is a ‘reasonably safe choice’ for VP pick
‘Fox News Sunday’ anchor Chris Wallace weighs in on Joe Biden choosing Kamala Harris for a running mate on ‘America’s Newsroom.’
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., “doesn't do any harm” to Joe Biden’s chances to be elected president, “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace said on Wednesday.
Wallace made the comment on “America’s Newsroom,” the day after Harris, the politically shrewd California senator with a law enforcement background that has caused some tensions with the progressive left, was announced Tuesday as Biden’s running mate.
“I think it's fair to say that in the year 2020 for Joe Biden in this current situation, with all of the talk particularly about race and racial injustice in America, that to pick a woman who was the daughter of an immigrant from India and the daughter of an immigrant from Jamaica was the safe choice for Joe Biden,” Wallace said.
The decision to choose Harris, following months of secret meetings and closely held deliberations, would indicate the former vice president is setting aside their friction from the primary campaign. Harris memorably drew sharp contrasts with Biden when she challenged him on the debate stage over his past resistance to federally mandated desegregation busing.
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Wallace noted on Wednesday that Harris “did not do very well in the Democratic primaries,” adding that that’s because of “a variety of reasons,” including the fact that “she didn't run a great campaign.”
“But, she is not far to the left despite what Republicans are going to try to say,” he said. “There is a certain circuitous route to her position on issues. She was for 'Medicare-for-all' before she was against it.”
“But I think she’s a reasonably safe choice,” he continued, pointing out that Harris “was the obvious front-runner” and “the obvious choice.”
Wallace went on to say that Harris “adds some excitement to the ticket.”
He explained that Harris is “a statement to African Americans and especially to African American women, who are the real solid core of the Democratic Party, that the party does not take them for granted and so I think she is a pretty safe choice and will energize some women, energize some African Americans.”
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Wallace then went on to say that “most importantly” Harris, at least at first, “doesn't do any harm to the Biden chances to be elected president.” He added that “we’ll see what happens” in the days leading up to the 2020 election.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Alex Pappas contributed to this report.
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