MSNBC’s Al Sharpton gave a suck up sitdown interview to Vice President Kamala Harris on his low-rated Saturday afternoon program PoliticsNation. While the second half won’t air until August 26, there were plenty of absurd moments in this short first half.
The first moment came when Sharpton asked Harris his first question which had no real value to informing viewers on any relevant public policy or controversy facing the country today.
“When you wake up in the morning, what do you think about?,” Sharpton asked. “What is Vice President Harris have on her mind when she wakes up? I know how all Americans based on where they are got a variety of thing, but share with me what is it that you have on your mind when you wake up every morning?”
Harris gave an answer that no rational person believes is really true: “Our democracy.” It’s highly doubtful that she wakes up every morning thinking about democracy.
“Rev, I think everything is at stake right now,” Harris continued. “When I think about democracy, I think of it as its nature is that there’s a duality, two pieces to it. There’s one aspect of a democracy that is about strength.”
“Right now, there are many forces that are attempting to purposely, I believe, weaken our democracy,” Harris added.
Sharpton then asked the Vice President about progress America has made since the civil rights movement. It was fairly innocent by MSNBC standards.
Then came another eye rolling moment a few minutes later where Harris was asked by Sharpton: “Do you feel that the whole question of where we are in history, of one day some young lady is going to look at your picture the way you look at Thurgood’s picture and John Lewis’s picture. What do you hope they look at and say?”
“I hope they say that they should, that they will say, I can do anything,” Harris responded. “Even if it hasn't been done before. I will not be burdened by what has been, I will believe in what can be. That’s what I hope.”
Sharpton asked no follow up questions or requests for clarification. He just moved on and concluded this portion of the interview.
Stay tuned to NewsBusters on the weekend of August 26 for our report on the second half of the Sharpton/Harris interview.
This softball interview on MSNBC was made possible thanks to Fisher Investments. Their information is linked.
The relevant transcript is below:
MSNBC’s PoliticsNation
8/12/2023
5:08:00 p.m. EasternAL SHARPTON: When you wake up in the morning, what do you think about? What is Vice President Harris have on her mind when she wakes up? I know how all Americans based on where they are got a variety of thing, but share with me what is it that you have on your mind when you wake up every morning?
KAMALA HARRIS: Our democracy. Rev, I think everything is at stake right now. When I think about democracy, I think of it as its nature is that there’s a duality, two pieces to it. There’s one aspect of a democracy that is about strength. When a democracy is intact, it strengthens the people, it protects it and fights for fundamental freedoms, individual rights, it's a fight for order against chaos. It strengthens. On the other hand, democracy, incredibly fragile. It will only be as strong as our willingness to fight for it. And right now, there are many forces that are attempting to purposely, I believe, weaken our democracy.
[...]
SHARPTON: Do you feel that the whole question of where we are in history, of one day some young lady is going to look at your picture the way you look at Thurgood’s picture and John Lewis’s picture. What do you hope they look at and say?
HARRIS: I hope they say that they should, that they will say, I can do anything. Even if it hasn't been done before. I will not be burdened by what has been, I will believe in what can be. That’s what I hope.
