Vice President Kamala Harris doubled down in her first interview since ascending to the top of the Democratic presidential ticket that she would not ban fracking if elected, claiming she made “clear” where she stood on fracking during the 2020 election.
“No, and I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020 that I would not ban fracking. As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking,” Harris said.
Before Harris dropped her bid for president in 2019 and joined President Biden’s ticket, she said in a CNN town hall “there’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking” on her first day in office.
“And starting with what we can do on day one around public lands, right?” she continued. “And then there has to be legislation, but, yes, that’s something I’ve taken on in California. I have a history of working on this issue and to your point we have to just acknowledge that the residual impact of fracking is enormous in terms of the health and safety of communities.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris in her first sit-down interview with the media since rising to the top of the Democratic ticket. (CNN)
CNN host Dana Bash asked Harris about her 2019 remarks, sparking Harris to respond that she was “clear” on fracking during her run as Biden’s vice presidential pick.
“In 2020, I made very clear where I stand. We are in 2024, and I’ve not changed that position, although I’ve gone forward. I kept my word, and I will keep my word,” Harris continued.
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Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives for a campaign rally in Savannah, Ga., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“Let’s be clear. My values have not changed. I believe it is very important that we take seriously what we must do to guard against what is a clear crisis in terms of the climate. And to do that, we can do what we have accomplished thus far. The Inflation Reduction Act — what we have done to invest, by my calculation, over… a trillion dollars over the next 10 years, investing in a clean energy economy. What we’ve already done: creating over 300,000 new clean energy jobs,” she continued.
Harris was asked about fracking during her 2020 vice presidential debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence, but did not reveal her position on fracking, instead saying Biden would not ban fracking. Fox News Digital reviewed a transcript of the 2020 vice presidential debate, and found “fracking” was mentioned nine times, with Harris using the word twice.
“Joe Biden will not end fracking. He has been very clear about that,” Harris said during the debate in 2020 cycle.
“I will repeat and the American people know that Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact. That is a fact,” she added during another portion of the debate.
Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Harris was joined by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the interview, which comes 68 days before Election Day. Harris has largely aovided the media since rising to the top of the ticker after Biden dropped out of the race last month.
The CNN interview marks her first sit-down interview with the media, while she has not held a press conference in 39 days, when she first emerged as the presumptive nominee.
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Harris traveled to Chicago last week, where she formally accepted her party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention.