Kamala Harris (left), Charlemagne Tha God.Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images; Leon Bennett/WireImage
Vice PresidentKamala Harrispushed back onCharlamagne Tha Godin an interview airing Friday evening on Comedy Central, after the host continually asked her about Democrat Joe Manchin, who Charlamagne argued is “holding up progress” and “ruining this country.”
Manchin, a West Virginia senator, serves as a key vote in the upper chamber, where Democrats hold a bare majority. But the Democrat is more centrist than some progressives would like, often opposing some major liberal priorities
“You get villainized for silly things like air buds, when [Manchin is] really stopping progress,” Charlamagne said in the exchange, filmed Friday afternoon for the latest episode ofTha God’s Honest Truth with Charlamagne Tha God.
The vice president, 57, refrained from criticizing Manchin directly, instead acknowledging that the legislative process is “frustrating.”
“Every vote matters — especially in the Senate — and we have to listen to the voices … and then we negotiate,” Harris said, adding: “Sometimes it is frustrating. Watching sausage get made, you think that’s difficult? Well watching a bill get made is … frustrating.”
Asked again about Manchin’s role, specifically, in holding back the administration’s priorities — like a massive voting rights bill and the Build Back Better plan — Harris again held back from directly criticizing the West Virginia lawmaker.
Charlamagne pressed, however, saying, “We need you to be the superhero who saves democracy … Are you willing to be that superhero?”
Unsatisfied with her earlier answers, Charlamagne pushed ahead for his final question, asking the vice president: “So who is the president: Is it Joe Manchin or Joe Biden?”
Harris continued: “I hear the frustration, but let’s not deny the impact that we’ve had and agree also that there is a whole lot more work to be done and it is not easy to do. But we will not give up and I will not give up.”
“That Kamala Harris — that’s the one I like,” Charlamagne said.
“I appreciate you asking the question but my focus is on the work … my focus is on, frankly, I can’t tell you how many places — from Chicago to Charlotte to Detroit … where fathers and mothers bring their little boys and girls up to me and say ‘I want to see Kamala Harris,’ or they show me a picture of their child watching me when I was sworn in. Thats what I focus on,” she said.
She continued: “I think there’s a healthy discussion that others can have .. but I’m going to focus on the work and I will not be distracted.”
source: people.com
