Harris Sits for First Solo Interview as Candidate

Vice President Kamala Harris sat down Wednesday with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle in Pittsburgh for her hotly anticipated first solo interview as the Democratic presidential candidate.

While she touched on hot-button topics like immigration and abortion, Harris primarily touted her economic program, which she unveiled earlier Wednesday at a rally in Steel City, emphasizing measures on housing and employment. 

Although the interview was hailed as a victory by her own camp, Harris foundered on a number of questions, including on the Teamsters’ non-endorsement, and resorted to apparently evasive generalities. 

Following the pre-taped interview, Ruhle herself expressed dissatisfaction about Harris’s evasions in comments to Nicolle Wallace, her fellow MSNBC host, highlighting a question she asked about how she was going to get CEOs to pay a higher share of taxes without causing capital flight.

“Well listen, I work with a lot of CEOs, I spend a lot of time with CEOs,” replied Harris. “They agree people should pay their fair share. They also agree when we look at a plan such as mine, investing in the middle class, investing in new industries, investing in entrepreneurs and the overall economy is stronger and everyone benefits.”

Ruhle said that Harris “doesn’t answer the question.”