U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris defended her record as a prosecutor and pledged to decriminalize marijuana as president in Detroit on Tuesday.
Support Of Black Men
Notably, Harris she aims to shore up support among Black men in an interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God.
Charlamagne, a Black comedian and author who hosts radio program “The Breakfast Club,” is known for his blunt interviews of celebrities.
Charlamagne Is A Harris Supporter
Although he is a Harris supporter, he has been critical of her and President Joe Biden in the past and called Democrats “cowards” for ineffectively prosecuting a case against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
One of his first questions was asking Harris to address a common rumor – that she disproportionately locked up Black men over her more than a dozen years as San Francisco’s district attorney.
Kamala Harris Promises To Decriminalize Marijuana
She said she was “one of the most progressive prosecutors” on marijuana cases.
She also promises to work to decriminalize it, because she knows how that has hurt certain populations, especially Black men.
Charlamagne’s interview with Harris started broadcast on iHeartRadio at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT).
Harris’ Interview On Fox News On Wednesday
On Wednesday, Harris will be interviewed on Fox News, the conservative-leaning network.
She is also weighing joining the podcaster Joe Rogan, whose show reaches millions of men across the political spectrum.
Rogan has joked that a “puppet master” was behind Harris’ strong debate performance against Trump.
The effort reflects increasing anxiety within Democratic circles about Harris’ waning momentum in the handful of decisive election states and fears that her under-performance with men, and Black men in particular, could doom her bid for the White House.
Kamala Harris Lead Over Trump Has Narrowed
Harris’ lead over Trump has narrowed in recent days, several polls show.
Her lead held steady at 3 points in the latest national Reuters/Ipsos poll and other battleground state polls show the two in a dead heat.
She has been on a media blitz in recent days, speaking with friendly hosts from comedy shows, talk shows and podcasts.
Visit To Detroit
During her fifth trip to the Detroit area since launching her campaign in July, Harris will also promote a set of recently unveiled policy proposals aimed at Black men.
These include forgivable small business loans and access to a new legal recreational marijuana industry.
She is visiting with a Black-owned small business.
Will Black Men Vote For Harris Or Trump?
The Harris campaign and Democrats – including former President Barack Obama are concerned whether Black men will turn out on November 5 in numbers seen in past elections and whether they will support her or Trump.
If elected, Harris would be the second Black president and first Black woman in the office.
Over a quarter of young Black men say they would support Trump in the election race, according to a September poll by the NAACP, the nation’s largest civil rights organization.
Biden received about 80% of the Black male vote in 2020.
(With inputs from Reuters)
