Kamala Harris sits down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss gun control, immigration and more

From reproductive rights to the immigration row, Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a wide-ranging, emotional interview.

The event, titled “Unite for America,” was organized in collaboration with the activist group Win With Black Women to support Harris’s presidential campaign. Its goal was to energize voters in crucial battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan through an engaging interview and discussion.

The event had an audience of 400 in-person attendees and more than 200,000 others who tuned in virtually, according to The Guardian. “There’s a real feeling of optimism and hope making a comeback … for this new day that is no longer on the horizon but is here. We’re living it,” Oprah told the audience.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

On gun control

The Democratic presidential candidate, who is also a gun owner, made an unexpectedly candid remark when the discussion shifted to gun laws. She said, “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.” She quickly backtracked. “I probably shouldn’t have said that,” she laughed. “But my staff will handle it later,” when Winfrey mentioned she hadn’t realized Harris was a gun owner until the debate. The comment added a controversial edge to her stance on gun control.

Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris listens to a victim of a school shooting, at a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan. (Reuters)

In poignant moment, however, an attendee, the mother of a survivor of a school shooting, got up to speak: “We have a job, that job is to protect our children. We have to stop it.” She urged the country to act on gun violence, a key issue for the Harris campaign, which advocates for stricter gun laws, including banning assault weapons.

On reproductive rights

Another attendee, whose daughter died due to delays caused by restrictive abortion laws, shared her story on the show. Harris responded empathetically, “I’m just so sad. And the courage that you all have shown is extraordinary.”

During the conversation, Harris criticized her opponent’s views on reproductive rights and promised to sign a border security bill blocked by Senate Republicans, while mostly maintaining a cautious demeanor with the host.

On immigration row

Harris blamed her rival and Republican candidate Donald Trump for killing legislation in the Congress that would have enhanced funding for law enforcement at the border. “The bill would have allowed us to have more resources to prosecute transnational criminal organizations,” Harris said.

Celebrities galore

The event feature several celebrities, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, and Ben Stiller, who joined via video conferencing. Rock humorously noted, “I want to bring my daughters to the White House to meet this Black woman president.”

The event, led by one of the greatest masters of the television talk show, featured celebrity appearances and touching personal stories. It was live-streamed from Michigan, an important battleground state, The Guardian reported.

Oprah Winfrey speaks with Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan. (Reuters)

Winfrey praised Harris for stepping up after Biden departed from the race, and Harris, in turn, reflected “You know we each have those moments in our lives when its time to step up.”

Harris’ campaign advisers reported a high turnout with nearly 200,000 livestream sign-ups.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.