Vice President Kamala Harris says anti-democratic forces in American politics have become a serious threat that has damaged the country’s reputation abroad and weakened the country at home.
Attacks on democracy are “very dangerous, and I think it is very harmful. And it makes us weaker,” Harris said during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” which aired on Sunday.
The vice president noted that historically, the United States has served as an example of a “great democracy,” which has given the nation the foundation it needs to promote democratic values around the globe.
However, Harris stated that she is “very concerned” that recent events, such as some elected officials disputing the results of the 2020 presidential election and others refusing to denounce the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, have led other nations to question the United States’ “commitment” to democracy.
“I think what it sends is a signal that causes people to question, ‘Hey, is America still valuing what they talk about?'” she said. “I think that through the process of what we’ve been through, we’re starting to allow people to call into question our commitment to those principles. And that’s a shame.”
Host Chuck Todd asked Harris whether domestic threats are “equal to greater than what we faced after 9/11” 21 years ago. In response, Harris pointed out, that she has taken many oaths of office, vowing to defend and uphold the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, adding, “we don’t compare the two in the oath, but we know they can both exist.”
“The fact is, having served under the Senate Intelligence Committee and now as vice president, I can tell you the nature of domestic threat versus a foreign threat— they’re very different,” she said. “Note, both are harmful and extremely dangerous, but they’re very different.”
“When I think about what we have been seeing from the attacks from within, I wish that we would approach it the same way as Americans instead of through some partisan lens,” she added.
Harris’ appearance on “Meet the Press” comes at the beginning of the fall campaign season leading up to the midterm elections, which will take place on November 8.