The day after wrapping up the Democratic National Convention, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris sat down for their first televised joint interview with ABC News. The conversation, hosted by the network’s David Muir and Robin Roberts covered a wide range of topics including healthcare, the duos infamous debate stage matchup, and what the two plan to do regarding the COVID-19 crisis if selected to take office next January. While Trump’s failures as a leader were highlighted throughout, Harris took particular issue with the impeached president’s inability to say “Black Lives Matter.”
“Listen, when Joe and I talk about … the state of America, he has a deep sense of awareness and knowledge about racial disparities, inequities and systematic racism,” Harris said in response to Roberts’s question about Biden’s ‘you ain’t Black’ comments that went viral earlier this summer. “Joe speaks the words and actually knows how to say the words ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Contrary to what … the current president of the United States does, which is to sow hate and division full-time and has never spoken those words and will never speak the words ‘Black Lives Matter.'”
In recent months, Harris has been seen along with protesters, lifting up the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor who, among others, were unjustly killed by law enforcement in the first half of 2020. Sitting down with ESSENCE during one of her first interviews after nabbing the VP pick, Harris said, “It is a travesty what happened to Breonna Taylor and we need to speak her name and we need to demand justice for her.” She continued, “ So I will continue to speak the name of Breonna Taylor and fight for the right for justice in her memory, justice for her mother and justice for that community.”
In their joint interview that broadcasted Sunday night, Harris said that she and Biden aligned on bringing justice to Black communities, insisting that Biden understands the inequities that persist for African Americans and will be a president who “does something about it.” That action will not be relegated to just the criminal justice system. Harris pointed out that a Biden-Harris ticket also plans to deal with the staggering rates of homeownership in the Black community and invest in Black entrepreneurship and education.
Despite multiple gaffes on the campaign trail, Biden gave credit to Black voters for propelling him to where he is today and Harris says his policies reflect a man who understands that Black lives matter. “He has been outspoken on those issues and continues to talk about disparities,” Harris asserted. “And I know where his heart is. I know where his heart is.”