Vice President Kamala Harris used her first opportunity since J.D. Vance formally accepted the Republican vice presidential nomination to take shots at the Ohio senator, telling a crowd of supporters in Fayetteville, North Carolina, that Vance only gave supporters part of his story.
Vance officially accepted Donald Trump’s offer on stage at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, painting himself as a hillbilly from Appalachia whose family overcame addiction struggles and other crises.
“Some of you may have heard Donald Trump’s running mate deliver remarks at the Republican National Convention,” Harris began Thursday at the campaign event; her seventh visit to North Carolina this year and 15th trip to the state since taking office.
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Though “compelling,” Harris admitted of Vance’s speech: “It was not the full story.”
Harris in Fayetteville NC.
Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)“Frankly, what is very telling is what he did not talk about on that stage,” she continued, listing the various conservative issues Vance is connected to, including Project 2025, abortion, and IVF.
Despite a common theme of unity at this year’s Republican National Convention, Harris warned both Vance and Trump’s plans were “extreme” and “divisive.”
“Here’s the thing, if you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word,” Harris said to a chorus of applause.
“You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans basic freedoms, opportunity, and dignity.”
The comments come at a critical time for Harris, as President Joe Biden battles his own party to remain its leader after a series of gaffes and a disaster presidential debate last month.
Harris was supportive of Biden in her speech, adding “he has never forgotten where he came from,” and that “he understands everyday struggles because he has actually lived them,” likening Biden and Trump to “night and day.” She described the 2024 election as “the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime.”
In her lively speech, Harris listed off a series of Trump’s biggest failures during his White House tenure, while highlighting Trump’s threat to the costs of living, health care, and education should he return to office.
“If Donald Trump were to win in November, he will continue to sell out working families,” Harris said. “He will continue to attack reproductive freedom and he will continue to undermine our democracy.
“Ultimately in this election, we each face a question, and this herein lies our power. The question we face is: ‘What kind of country do we want to live in?’ Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law? Or a country of chaos, fear and hate?”
The crowd answered back a resounding “no.”
An empowered Harris continued: “We each have the power to answer this question.”
