Kamala Harris is working to rebrand herself as the Democratic presidential candidate. But critics are raising concerns. Her record on the border and as a prosecutor is under scrutiny. On "America's Newsroom," Tulsi Gabbard called Harris an "empty suit." Gabbard argues Harris' campaign "handlers" are nervous about her having to explain her policies.
TULSI GABBARD: I think she revealed in that debate the same thing that I think her campaign handlers are worried about right now… Kamala Harris is an empty suit. They are trying to create this new version of Kamala Harris to match what their pollsters are telling them, so she can say whatever she needs to say to try to win over voters, which is the most offensive thing, I think, because they think we're so stupid as to forget what her record actually is. In 2019, very simply, I confronted her with her hypocrisy of how what she said was very different than what she actually did, and she had no answer for it. She had no explanation. She didn't even try to own or justify what her actions were. And that's going to be the key thing here for voters as we head into this election is Kamala Harris will say whatever she thinks she needs to say. We have to pay attention to her actions, because on every single major issue, you will see that same kind of hypocrisy that I pointed out in 2019 where she'll say one thing, but her record tells a very, very different story.
Gabbard didn't hold back. She brought up Harris' "hypocrisy" during a 2019 debate. Harris struggled to defend her record on criminal prosecutions.
Gabbard reminded everyone of what Harris said back in July 2019. Harris was proud of her record as a prosecutor. But Gabbard noted Harris put over 1500 people in jail for marijuana violations. Harris even laughed when asked if she'd ever smoked marijuana.
Harris defended herself, saying she was proud of her work. She claimed it wasn't just about giving speeches, but actually doing the work.
But Gabbard pressed on. She said Harris didn't make a difference when she had the chance. She added that Harris owes an apology to those who suffered under her watch.
Harris' past roles as San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General are coming back into focus. Her long career in criminal prosecution could be a challenge in winning over moderate voters. This echoes the difficulties she faced during her 2020 presidential run.