Democratic nominee Kamala Harris sat down for a face-to-face interview with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) on Tuesday where she said she is "working to earn" the vote of Black men, a crucial voting bloc in swing states this November.
Speaking in front of a live audience, Vice President Harris fielded a range of questions from NABJ members while largely sticking to the script seen on the campaign trail. Harris discussed her plan to create 16 million new jobs and support first-time home buyers, called for a ban on assault weapons and reiterated her support for Israel’s right to defend itself while also calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The 45-minute interview was the polar opposite of former President Donald Trump’s tense conversation with the NABJ in July, in which he insulted and attacked the journalists interviewing him and called their organizations “fake news.”
In contrast, Harris remained calm and at times even dry in her second high-profile national media interview since launching her presidential campaign. She also appealed to a specific group of voters: young Black men.
“What is your message to young Black male voters who feel left out of the economy and how can your policies materially change their lives?” moderator Gerren Keith Gaynor, White House correspondent for The Grio, asked the vice president.
“I think it’s very important to not operate from the assumption that Black men are in anybody’s pocket,” Harris responded. “Black men are like any other group, you gotta earn their vote. So I’m working to earn the vote, not assuming I’m going to have it because I’m Black."
Though 90% of Black voters supported Biden in 2020 and most have historically voted Democratic, recent polling shows Black men under the age of 50 may be more open to voting for Trump. Over a quarter of Black men under 50 plan to support Trump for President, according to an NAACP poll from early September. According to the latest New York Times/Siena College poll, 17% of Black voters plan to vote Trump.
Joe Paul, executive director of Black Men Vote, told Politico that Harris needs to address Black men directly, particularly regarding changes to the criminal justice system and economic opportunities. “We need her to say: Black men, here’s what I’m willing to do for you,” he said.
That's what Harris tried to do on Tuesday. She pointed to her plan to support small Black-owned businesses and address the obstacles to Black families in building generational wealth like medical debt and housing policy.
“Part of my approach is understanding the obstacles that traditionally and currently exist to allow anyone, including Black men, to be able to achieve economic wealth,” Harris said.
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