During an exclusive network interview with California Senator Kamala Harris on Friday, CBS This Morning co-host and Democratic donor Gayle King couldn’t help sounding like an adoring fan as she gushed over the liberal lawmaker’s debate performance. The anchor wondered how Harris would “capitalize on that momentum.”
“Your performance last night is certainly what people are talking about this morning. I'm hearing words like, ‘A star is born’... ‘She is fervent but deploys her anger precisely like a flashlight,’” King proclaimed while touting rave reviews of Harris taking on former Vice President Joe Biden during the debate over the issues of segregation and busing. King continued: “Voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are telling CBS News today that you had a strong performance. How do you intend to capitalize on that momentum?”
Referring to a picture of Harris as a child attending an integrated school in California for the first time, King excitedly touted apparel being sold on Harris’s campaign website: “Clearly the t-shirts is one way, I understand that those are already on sale.” Apparently the Senator didn’t spend as much time shopping on her website as King: “Oh, I don’t know about the t-shirts. I know we’ve got a little – visit KamalaHarris.org – I know we have a shot.”
Other softballs were lobbed to Harris earlier in the exchange from King’s co-hosts. Anthony Mason began with: “You said last night you do not believe Joe Biden is a racist, but do you think that his remarks about segregationist senators and his past policy on bussing effectively disqualify him as a candidate?”
Moments later, Tony Dokoupil provided this open-ended opportunity for her to respond:
Senator Harris, your campaign clearly had an idea that this topic might come up. They had a picture ready, they sent out a tweet. From your perspective, I’m curious to know, what do you hope voters who may have been hearing about you for the first time and hearing from you for the first time, what should voters take away from that exchange with Joe Biden?
King slightly challenged Harris when she noted: “Senator Harris, we just heard Ed O’Keefe say you’re being accused of delivering a low blow last night. What do you say to that?” The Democrat predictably replied: “You know, Gayle, it was about just speaking truth.”
The toughest question came from Dokoupil late in the nearly seven-minute segment when he tried to nail down Harris’s position on health care:
DOKOUPIL: Senator, another defining moment in the debate was when every candidate was asked to raise their hand if they would abolish private insurance. In that moment you raised your hand, but afterwards, your campaign says actually that’s not your position. So what is your position on private insurance?
HARRIS: So the question was would you be willing to give up your private insurance for such a plan.
DOKOUPIL: That’s not how it what was asked. That's what you heard, right?
HARRIS: That’s certainly what I heard. And in terms of – I am in support of Medicare-for-all.
Clearly King has found a new 2020 contender to root for after initially urging her pal Oprah Winfrey to jump in the race.
Here is a transcript of the questions to Harris during the June 28 interview:
7:07 AM ET
ANTHONY MASON: And we continue the conversation this morning with Senator Harris. She’s with us from Miami in her only network TV interview after the debate. Senator, good morning.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS [D-CA]: Good morning.
MASON: Let me start, you said last night you do not believe Joe Biden is a racist, but do you think that his remarks about segregationist senators and his past policy on bussing effectively disqualify him as a candidate?
(...)
TONY DOKOUPIL: Senator Harris, your campaign clearly had an idea that this topic might come up. They had a picture ready, they sent out a tweet. From your perspective, I’m curious to know, what do you hope voters who may have been hearing about you for the first time and hearing from you for the first time, what should voters take away from that exchange with Joe Biden?
(...)
GAYLE KING: Senator Harris, we just heard Ed O’Keefe say you’re being accused of delivering a low blow last night. What do you say to that?
HARRIS: You know, Gayle, it was about just speaking truth.
(...)
KING: Your performance last night is certainly what people are talking about this morning. I'm hearing words like, “A star is born,” “She is fervent – she is fervent but deploys her anger precisely like a flashlight.” Voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are telling CBS News today that you had a strong performance. How do you intend to capitalize on that momentum? Clearly the t-shirts is one way, I understand that those are already on sale.
HARRIS: Oh, I don’t know about the t-shirts. I know we’ve got a little – visit KamalaHarris.org – I know we have a shot.
(...)
MASON: Senator, Vice President Biden didn’t see a change in his polling numbers after his remarks about segregationist senators, even among black voters for that matter, why do you think that is?
(...)
DOKOUPIL: Senator, another defining moment in the debate was when every candidate was asked to raise their hand if they would abolish private insurance. In that moment you raised your hand, but afterwards, your campaign says actually that’s not your position. So what is your position on private insurance?
HARRIS: So the question was would you be willing to give up your private insurance for such a plan.
DOKOUPIL: That’s not how it what was asked. That's what you heard, right?
HARRIS: That’s certainly what I heard. And in terms of – I am in support of Medicare-for-all.
(...)
KING: Alright, Senator Harris, we’re gonna have to leave it there.
HARRIS: And I’ll just add, 91% of the doctors in America today are in Medicare, so you won’t lose your doctor.
KING: Alright, Senator Harris. You’ve had the last word, we thank you very much. I’m sure we’ll talk with you a little bit later on as this campaign continues.
HARRIS: I appreciate it, thank you.
KING: Thank you for joining us this morning.
HARRIS: Absolutely, thank you guys. Have a good day.
KING: You too.
