Kamala Harris’s performance at the CNN town hall, moderated by Anderson Cooper, once again highlighted her struggles to navigate the complex issue of immigration and the border crisis.
When pressed on her past criticism of the border wall under Donald Trump, Harris dodged the question, attempting to deflect by ridiculing Trump’s promise that Mexico would pay for the wall and claiming that he barely built any of it.
However, the real issue surfaced when Cooper called her out for supporting a compromise bill that allocates $650 million in border wall funding—something Harris had previously lambasted as “stupid” and a “medieval vanity project.”
Her response? A vague, meandering answer about working across the aisle to fix the immigration system. Yet, Harris avoided directly addressing whether she still thought the wall was “stupid,” further muddying her stance on a key issue that has divided the country.
JUST IN: Kamala Harris tries making fun of Trump’s border wall before getting fact-checked by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
Harris started stuttering after Cooper asked her if she supports a border wall since she is “pro-border security” now.
Cooper: You called Trump’s wall a stupid… pic.twitter.com/5R4o10mAhX
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 24, 2024
This back-and-forth with Cooper underscored a fundamental issue with Harris’s messaging: inconsistency. She is trying to reconcile her harsh criticisms of Trump’s immigration policies with the practical realities of governing, which includes making compromises like agreeing to fund a border wall. But instead of owning this shift, she danced around the question, leaving viewers without a clear answer.
Cooper also pressed Harris on why the administration waited until recently to institute executive actions aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Harris’s response—that the administration wanted to work with Congress for a long-term solution—seemed weak, especially when faced with the reality that illegal crossings have been a persistent issue throughout Biden’s presidency.
Cooper pointedly asked why they couldn’t have pursued both executive action and legislative solutions simultaneously, but Harris deflected again, repeating that they “did the right thing.”
The town hall did little to boost confidence in Harris’s ability to address the border crisis head-on. Her performance was characterized by evasion, repetition of talking points, and an overall lack of clarity.
