Kamala Harris on The Howard Stern Show
Short Summary
On October 10, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on The Howard Stern Show for a comprehensive interview during the final weeks of the 2024 Presidential Election campaign against Republican nominee Donald Trump, covering her prosecutorial background ("I have put a lot of people in jail"), economic policies (describing herself as "a capitalist" with endorsements from "16 Nobel laureates"), immigration stance (advocating for a "strongest border security bill in years"), healthcare proposals (including a $6,000 tax credit for new parents and Medicare expansion for elder care), foreign policy positions (strongly supporting NATO as "the greatest military alliance the world has ever known"), her journey to becoming the Democratic nominee following President Biden's withdrawal, her selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as running mate, personal insights (including her marriage to Doug Emhoff and hobbies like Formula One racing and vinyl collecting), and her direct contrast with Trump on democratic values (criticizing his statements about being a "dictator on day one" and "terminating the Constitution") in what she framed as "an election that is about strength versus weakness" and a pivotal moment for American democracy requiring voters to "roll up our sleeves" rather than "throw up our hands" to preserve foundational democratic principles including rule of law and respect for free and fair elections.
Long Summary
Introduction
On October 10, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on The Howard Stern Show for a wide-ranging interview that provided crucial insights into her candidacy in the final weeks before the November 2024 presidential election. This extensive conversation represented one of the most substantive media appearances of her campaign against Republican nominee Donald Trump, covering everything from her prosecutorial career to her economic plans and personal life. The interview occurred during a pivotal period in the 2024 presidential race, with Harris using this platform to reinforce her campaign's core messages while connecting with voters on a more personal level through anecdotes about her upbringing, music preferences, and family life.
Howard Stern began the interview by playing Prince's "Bat Dance," acknowledging Harris's appreciation for the artist. This casual opening set the tone for a conversation that would alternate between serious policy discussions and more personal revelations, giving listeners a comprehensive picture of the Democratic nominee less than a month before Election Day.
Harris's Background and Early Life
Family and Educational Foundation
Harris discussed her upbringing as the daughter of immigrant academics—her mother a breast cancer researcher and her father an economics professor. She recalled working in her mother's laboratory, cleaning test tubes as her first job, though she admitted being fired because "I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to clean pipettes." This early anecdote established Harris's connection to scientific research and education from a young age.
The Vice President spoke about her experience during school integration in Berkeley, California, where she was bused to school as part of desegregation efforts. Harris credited her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Frances Wilson, with having a profound impact on her development, noting that Wilson later attended her law school graduation. "I'm very blessed to have been raised," Harris reflected, adding that successful people often share a common experience: "We were told at some point that we were special... and we believed them."
Formative Cultural Influences
Harris revealed her deep appreciation for music, particularly Prince, whom she described as a significant artist that both she and her husband Doug Emhoff admired. She recalled how they "played Prince all night long" and "danced and sang his songs" as a tribute when the artist passed away. When discussing music tastes, Harris mentioned she "grew up kind of hip-hop" while her husband preferred bands like "the Peshmo," with Prince representing their musical "intersection" where they "both love" the same artist. This personal anecdote highlighted Harris's cultural touchpoints and provided a glimpse into her personal life outside of politics.
Legal Career and Criminal Justice Approach
Path to Becoming a Prosecutor
Harris explained that her decision to become a prosecutor was partly influenced by a childhood friend named Wanda's experience with sexual abuse by her stepfather. This formative experience led Harris to want to protect vulnerable people through the legal system. "I've always, maybe because I'm the eldest of two kids... it's an instinct of mine to want to protect people," she explained.
The interview covered her unusual interview process for her first prosecutor position in Alameda County, California, with Harris amusingly noting that the questions resembled those from the board game "Scruples" with hypothetical ethical scenarios. She emphasized that she chose public service over more lucrative corporate law opportunities after law school because private practice "wasn't for me."
Prosecutorial Philosophy and Record
When discussing her extensive career in law enforcement, Harris articulated a clear philosophy: "You only got one job, which is to do the right thing." She elaborated that prosecutors should only bring cases they believe in and can prove beyond reasonable doubt, making decisions "based on facts and the law" rather than emotion.
Harris addressed her record directly when Stern suggested she was actually the "law and order candidate" despite characterizations to the contrary from opponents. She responded definitively: "I have put a lot of people in jail. I have personally prosecuted everything from child sexual assault to homicides." She also mentioned prosecuting transnational criminal organizations for trafficking "guns, drugs, and human beings," adding "this is not theoretical for me."
Harris described handling difficult cases, including an emotionally challenging situation involving a six-year-old abuse victim who couldn't testify effectively—a case she called "one of the most difficult cases I've ever handled." She recalled: "To this day, I remember exactly when I realized that that was what was going to happen. To this day, I remember where I was. I remember exactly how I felt. And I still think about that and her." This discussion provided voters with context about her approach to criminal justice issues in the 2024 campaign.
Economic Policies for the 2024 Election
Economic Philosophy and Expert Endorsements
Harris positioned herself economically as "a capitalist" who is also "a devout public servant," acknowledging that "government can't do everything by itself." This balanced approach reflected her campaign's attempt to appeal to both progressive and moderate voters in the 2024 election.
She stated that her economic plans had received endorsements from Goldman Sachs and "16 Nobel laureates," while claiming Trump's proposals would "weaken our economy, inflate inflation, and bring a recession by the middle of next year." This section of the interview addressed voter concerns about inflation and economic stability—consistently rated as top issues in the 2024 election.
Small Business Focus
Harris expressed her "passion for small businesses," connecting this interest to her childhood experience with a daycare owner named Mrs. Shelton who helped raise her while her mother worked. "We lived on a nursery school above a child care center. And the woman who owned that, Mrs. Shelton, we called her our second mother. She helped my mother raise us. She was a small business owner," Harris explained.
The Vice President described small business owners as "leaders in the community" who "hire locally" and "mentor," indicating her economic approach would prioritize supporting entrepreneurship. She mentioned that she regularly visits small businesses during campaign stops across the country, describing American small business owners as "innovative, ambitious... optimistic" people who are "building" and "creating."
Immigration and Border Security Plans
Border Security Legislation
Harris addressed immigration policy by discussing a bipartisan border security bill that failed to pass Congress. She described it as "the strongest border security bill in years" that would have added "1,500 more border agents at the border." She noted the bill had support from border patrol agents and would have provided resources to "stem the flow of fentanyl" and combat "transnational criminal organizations."
She criticized former President Trump for allegedly instructing Republicans to reject this legislation, arguing that he put campaign interests ahead of national solutions. During the interview, Harris expressed frustration that during their debate, when she raised this point about Trump allegedly telling Republicans to reject a border bill he previously supported, there wasn't sufficient follow-up on what she considered a significant issue.
Prosecutorial Experience with Immigration Issues
Drawing on her background, Harris connected her immigration policies to her experience as a prosecutor who had "prosecuted transnational criminal organizations." She stated: "I am a former prosecutor, as you know. I have prosecuted transnational criminal organizations who are trafficking guns, drugs, and human beings. This is not theoretical for me." This allowed her to present her approach as both compassionate and security-focused, countering campaign narratives that portrayed her as soft on border enforcement.
Healthcare Proposals and Family Support
New Parent Tax Credit
Harris highlighted her proposal for a $6,000 tax credit for new parents, explaining that this would help families afford essentials like "a crib, a car seat" which she noted are "expensive" but "necessary for that incredibly important phase of their child development." She framed this policy as both family-friendly and economically beneficial, stating "the return on the investment is profound."
Medicare Expansion for Elder Care
The interview covered Harris's plan to expand Medicare to cover at-home elder care, addressing what she called the challenges of the "sandwich generation" who are "taking care of young kids and their elder parents." When Stern mentioned his 97-year-old mother and the high costs of elder care that "will bankrupt you," Harris agreed, noting that families face difficult choices: "your parent will not get the care they need or you're going to have to leave your job."
Harris connected this proposal to her broader healthcare position, contrasting it with what she described as her opponent's plans: "What they're doing and what he's talking about in terms of attacking Social Security, Medicare, undoing the Affordable Care Act, which means the insurance companies can come back and deny people with preexisting conditions."
Foreign Policy and National Security
NATO and International Alliances
Harris emphasized the importance of preserving and strengthening international alliances, particularly NATO, which she called "the greatest military alliance the world has ever known." This position directly contrasted with Trump's historical criticism of the alliance—a contrast she emphasized by stating support for NATO represents "strength."
The Vice President articulated her foreign policy approach as standing "with our friends" and against "anyone who tries to take another nation by force," specifically mentioning support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. She stated: "That's what we stand for as Americans, that you don't do that. And if you do that to our friends, we're going to stand with our friends."
Russia and Putin Relationship
Harris referenced allegations from Bob Woodward's book about Trump sending COVID test kits to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the pandemic when Americans were struggling to access testing. "In the midst, to your point, as reported by Bob Woodward, in the height of the pandemic... people were dying by the hundreds. Everybody was scrambling to get these kits, the tests, the COVID test kits. Couldn't get them. Couldn't get them anywhere. And this guy who is president of the United States is sending them to Russia, to a murderous dictator for his personal use?"
She characterized this as demonstrating that Trump "has this desire to be a dictator. He admires strong men and he gets played by them" through "flattery and with favor." Harris added that Trump "thinks that they're his friends and they are manipulating him full time."
Democratic Nomination Journey
Biden's Withdrawal Decision
Harris provided a firsthand account of becoming the Democratic nominee after President Biden's withdrawal from the race. She described receiving Biden's call on a Sunday afternoon: "I'm at home. It's a Sunday afternoon in my workout clothes. My niece, her husband and their two daughters were staying with us. And I made pancakes that morning." She added that they were working on a jigsaw puzzle when "the phone rings and it's Joe. And so I got up to take the call and and then life changed."
She characterized Biden's decision to withdraw as showing "the deepest level of courage and love of country," adding that her first question to him was "are you sure?" Harris stated that Biden is "still doing a great job" and "he's not done," acknowledging his ongoing presidency.
Vice Presidential Selection Process
Selection of Tim Walz
When discussing her selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, Harris explained that despite their different backgrounds—she from urban California and he from rural Minnesota—they share common values: "He reminds me of the people I grew up with. Different part of the country, maybe different race. But hardworking people, straight talking, grounded in principles."
She noted that Walz was among "a lot of incredible candidates" she considered, and ultimately her decision "was just my gut decision, because none of the candidates lack for an incredible level of talent and experience." This selection highlighted her campaign's strategy of building a broad coalition across geographic and demographic divides.
Bipartisan Cabinet Intentions
Harris affirmed her intention to include Republicans in her cabinet if elected, stating the importance of bringing "in a variety of perspectives that allow me to consider every angle and to build consensus." She mentioned the endorsements she had received from prominent Republicans like Liz Cheney and Dick Cheney.
When Stern specifically asked if she would appoint Liz Cheney to her cabinet, Harris responded: "I got to win, Howard. I got to win." She went on to praise Cheney as "remarkable" and "smart," a "dedicated public servant" who has "shown extraordinary courage" by putting "country before party," while acknowledging "she and I don't agree on everything."
Personal Life and Character Insights
Marriage and Family Relationships
Harris shared the story of meeting her husband Doug Emhoff on a blind date arranged by her best friend. She described Emhoff, who grew up in New Jersey, as one of the "strongest, most self-actualized" men she knows. "He worked for everything he had. We have a picture of him when he was employee of the month at McDonald's," Harris noted, creating a connection to her own experience having worked at McDonald's.
She praised his character as "the best sense of humor" and someone who is "very clear" about what matters: "He cares about family. He cares about working hard." Harris added that he is "just secure in his skin" and "not trying to be anything." This discussion highlighted Harris's family values and provided voters with insights into her personal relationships.
Daily Routines and Hobbies
The interview revealed aspects of Harris's daily life. She mentioned working out for 30-45 minutes every morning on an elliptical machine at her hotel while "watching a variety of things" including sometimes "Morning Joe." She discussed hobbies such as cooking (mentioning making pancakes for family), assembling jigsaw puzzles (noting she "loves" them, "especially with kids"), and following Formula One racing with Lewis Hamilton as her favorite driver.
Harris also mentioned collecting vinyl records, sometimes purchasing them from local stores during small business tours: "When I try to do my small business tour, so I try to go wherever I am. Also, if there's a record store... I'll pick up vinyl for him [her son Cole] and bring it back for him." These personal details allowed voters to see beyond the political persona to the individual behind the candidacy.
Coping with Campaign Pressure
When asked how she manages the intense pressure of the presidential campaign, Harris discussed the importance of her support network: "I have the great fortune of having a really incredible group of friends. My best friend from kindergarten is still one of my best friends." She also mentioned her husband as a source of support.
Harris advised having people in one's "inner circle who are supportive of you and who will encourage you," elaborating that these should be people "who when you trip will laugh with you when you trip, but then pick you back up and push you back out." She emphasized being "conscious" about choosing supportive people, advising in simple terms to "choose not to have mean people in your life."
Election Contrast with Donald Trump
Democracy and Constitutional Concerns
Throughout the interview, Harris expressed concern about preserving democratic norms and institutions. She criticized Trump's statements regarding being a "dictator on day one" and comments about "terminating the Constitution," explaining: "Understand what dictators do. They jail journalists. They put people who are protesting in the street in jail."
Harris connected these concerns to Trump's reported comments about going after comedians and talk show hosts: "He says he thinks he wants to go after Jimmy Kimmel, a comedian. He wants to go after Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers." She characterized these tendencies as "a sign of weakness in a leader" who would "not stand in defense of your people, the American people."
Leadership Style Contrast
Harris framed the 2024 presidential race as "an election that is about strength versus weakness," characterizing her opponent as demonstrating "weakness as projected by someone who puts himself in front of the American people and does not have the strength to stand in defense of their needs, their dreams, their desires."
She criticized Trump's debate performance, noting there were "moments when I was on that debate stage where... it was surreal" because while millions of Americans were watching to hear about issues, "one of those two people, Donald Trump, on that stage, spent time talking about how people are eating pets." She added that he spent "full time talking about his personal grievances about himself" instead of addressing voter concerns.
Approach to Media and Facts
Harris contrasted her willingness to participate in fact-checked interviews like 60 Minutes with Trump's decision to decline such appearances. When Stern mentioned, "I thought what was so amazing about 60 Minutes is the fact that Trump turned it down," Harris agreed, with Stern adding: "He didn't want to be fact checked."
This media approach difference allowed Harris to position herself as transparent and accountable, while suggesting her opponent avoided scrutiny—a contrast that reinforced her campaign's broader narrative about character and fitness for office.
Final Campaign Message to Voters
Stakes of the 2024 Election
In the closing portions of the interview, Harris articulated the historic significance of the 2024 election: "Let's not throw up our hands. Let's roll up our sleeves because... this is our country. And you know what? If you love our country, we've got to fight for our country. We can't take our country for granted."
She emphasized that the election represented a pivotal moment for American democracy: "We can have our disagreements, but there's some foundational stuff that we got to agree on. And it includes rule of law. Free and fair elections should not be overturned just because you didn't like the outcome because you lost."
Vision for America's Future
Harris concluded by presenting her vision for America's future under her potential administration—one focused on economic opportunity, strengthened alliances, affordable healthcare, and support for families. She described her commitment to what she called an "opportunity economy" where people could "not just get by but get ahead."
The interview ended with Stern expressing his support, saying "I think you'd be a great president. I think you're compassionate. I think you've had all the life experience." He praised her prosecutorial experience and noted that as a prosecutor, she had also worked to exonerate falsely accused individuals, which he said "says something" about her character.
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Event Date: October 9, 2024