On Friday, Vice President Harris defended her reluctance to publicly break with President Biden, saying it is a “tradition” for vice presidents not to criticize their superiors.
“I want to be very honest with you. Vice presidents, including Mike Pence, are not critical of the president. I don’t think it actually creates a relationship that is productive and important in terms of its heritage and going forward,” Harris told NBC’s Peter Alexander during a campaign stop in Michigan.
Pence has been fiercely loyal to Trump throughout his presidency, but the former vice president broke with his boss over a number of issues during last year’s primary campaign.
Harris noted that she will bring her life experiences to govern differently than Biden. On policy, she cited some of the proposals she made on the campaign trail, including expanding Medicare coverage for home care, increasing help for first-time homebuyers and expanding support for small businesses.
“These are my experiences and ideas about moving forward and really being part of the next generation of leadership in America,” Harris said.
Harris has had to walk a tightrope between remaining loyal to Biden while touting his accomplishments over the past four years while extending an olive branch to voters on both sides of the aisle who worry the country is heading in the wrong direction.
This week, she and Biden made it clear that they will govern differently than the president currently occupying the Oval Office.
“Folks, Kamala will lead the country in her own direction. And that’s one of the most important differences in this election.” Biden said Tuesday. “Kamala’s perspective on our issues will be refreshing and new. “Donald Trump’s views are outdated, failed and, frankly, completely and utterly dishonest.”
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Harris said her presidency “will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” citing her life experiences, policy proposals and desire for input from Republicans and business leaders. Her appearance on Fox was in itself a break with Biden, who has not been on the network at all during his presidency.
In a media blitz last week, Harris was asked twice on the same day about her differences with Biden. Harris told “The View” there was “nothing I can think of” that she would have done differently than Biden. When asked a similar question by Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show,” Harris once again struggled to point out specifics.
“I’m definitely not Joe Biden,” Harris said. “So that will be a change.”
President Trump played clips of Harris’ remarks on “The View” at every campaign rally last week, urging voters that the vice president should be held accountable for the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Inflation and a surge in immigration at the southern border.