At last week’s presidential debate, VP Kamala Harris surprised a lot of people when, in the middle of answering a question about gun control, she said: “Tim Walz and I are both gun owners.” We knew Gov. Walz was a gun owner and a hunter, but we did not know that about Kamala Harris. Well, last night, VP Harris took part in an amazing town hall event in Michigan, moderated by Oprah Winfrey. Oprah brought up that moment in the debate and Oprah was like, no, we didn’t know that about you. Harris spoke with nuance about being a gun owner and being pro-gun control:
Vice President Harris said that if someone were to break into her house, they would get shot while talking with Oprah Winfrey about hot-button issues during a Thursday night campaign event.
“If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot,” she said, laughing. “I probably should not have said that. My staff will deal with that later.”
Her comments came in response to when Winfrey brought up that she’s a gun owner. The vice president has publicly said that she is a gun owner, and she mentioned it again during the debate last week against former President Trump. There was a portion of the Thursday event on gun violence prevention, during which a survivor of the Georgia school shooting earlier this month spoke before Harris. She was in class when she was shot twice and appeared at the event still in a cast. The Apalachee High School shooting occurred earlier this month when Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, opened fire and killed four people.
During the segment, Harris discussed her gun violence prevention platform, which involves pushing for an assault weapons ban and universal background checks.
“I think for far too long on the issue of gun violence, some people have been pushing a really false choice to say you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away. I’m in favor of the second amendment, and I’m in favor of assault weapons bans, universal background checks, red flag laws,” Harris said, prompting Winfrey to ask about her gun ownership.
Even though I’m sure these comments surprised most people – they definitely surprised me – Harris has spoken before about her gun ownership. CNN’s sources say that Harris owns a small pistol, which is secured inside her LA home, and that she does not have a second gun at her home in DC (the Naval Observatory). When she was a senator, she said publicly that she was a gun owner for “for personal safety… I was a career prosecutor.” As in, you never know when one of the bad guys you put away is going to pull up to your house.
Kamala Harris: “If somebody breaks into my house, they're getting shot. Probably should not have said that.” pic.twitter.com/hlpGKUZAik
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 20, 2024
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), honors the work done by the two groups to uphold democratic norms and institutions and chart a pathway for progress for Black Americans Featuring: Vice President Kamala Harris Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 14 Sep 2024 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), honors the work done by the two groups to uphold democratic norms and institutions and chart a pathway for progress for Black Americans Featuring: Vice President Kamala Harris Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 14 Sep 2024 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), honors the work done by the two groups to uphold democratic norms and institutions and chart a pathway for progress for Black Americans Featuring: Vice President Kamala Harris Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 14 Sep 2024 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
I watched this whole thing last night, and I knew this was the part that was going to get the media attention.
The two parts I will remember though, were the mother of that student, barely even able to get out the words, describing her absolute terror not being able to reach her daughter after learning there was a shooting at her school, and the mother of the woman in Georgia who died because of the abortion bans, whose grief was so painful to witness.
I do find it odd that the Supreme Court is not a bigger campaign push for Kamala. A number of those justices are getting up there in age, and I’m a little surprised her campaign isn’t reminding people that she would make the selection if a vacancy happened, and that we need a democratic Senate to approve.
There is a less than zero chance that the current Supreme Court may have a role in the upcoming election — one way or another. It’s probably prudent on her part, given the politicization of the current Court, to downplay her hope that, as President, she would have one or more lifetime Supreme Court appointments to make. Those of us appalled by the current Court makeup, and the possibility of an even more Trumped up Court for the foreseeable future don’t need to be reminded. 😬.
Do you mean, “more than zero”?
Oops! Yes! Thanks @bisynaptic! I was thinking: non-zero, and scrambled that one.
The part with the mother and sisters of the woman who died in Georgia was absolutely heartbreaking. I almost felt as if I shouldn’t be seeing their raw pain. Those Republican Legislators in Georgia are responsible for her death.
“i probably should not have said that. My staff will deal with that later” she is such a BOSS i love her and desperately wish I could vote for her!! (I’m in Canada)
I love this! I thought it was a perfect comment. This is a short, sweet, easy-to-remember response to the well-stoked Republican fear that “she’s gonna take away our guns!”
DM HEADLINE: Kamala Harris has high staff turnover because she makes her staff clean up after she threatens to shoot people
😂
Uhh, we don’t have online voting here??
Personal opinions on guns aside, it’s great that KH mentioned that she and TW are both gun owners.
One of the reasons is all that’s mentioned above, what their policies will be going forward — and the other, big, one should be to mention how convicted felons can’t own guns.
Convicted felons like the Orange Wannabe Dictator.
Oh, I am so glad she said that. It is perfectly legal to shoot someone who breaks into your home (castle doctrine) so she’s good 👍 on that score. What gets me po’d is the journalists who can recite chapter and verse on positions she has changed since 2019 but are seemingly gob smacked that she owns a gun which she revealed during that same campaign.
And, of course, she needed a gun during her prosecutorial career. She was prosecuting the worst of the worst much of the time. She is such a great bad ass. I couldn’t be more proud of her campaign.
Brassy Rebel, I couldn’t understand why people were surprised that she had a gun. I assure you that she’s not the only prosecutor in this country who owns a gun.
I went to elementary school with the daughter of a prosecutor. Her address and contact info was not listed even in our little school directory. They take it seriously
She mentioned she was a gun owner in the debate as well so I don’t know why
this would be super shocking to people. But she is correct, I also am a gun owner and there is absolutely this false dichotomy that you can be liberal and a gun owner. People own guns for a multitude of reasons, police response times, areas they live in, being aficionados who just like to go to the range to shoot, people who hunt. I firmly believe in the right for people to protect themselves within reasonable means, but I also don’t believe that there’s any need for me to own an AR-15 or a bazooka. Just like I believe in medical freedom, but I shouldn’t be able to do dental surgery out of my kitchen. And I’m right there with her, if you’re breaking into my home I’m not having a conversation with you about your motivations you’re getting a warning verbally and that’s it.
Same. My parents , ride or die Trumpers, are always surprised when I talk about this. Yes, my son shot his first .22 rifle at the age of 6, yes, I am completely okay with that. It wasn’t something that my husband had to sneak behind my back….which would have been a whole other problem. They hunt, and since we have guns in the house (locked up and secured) I would much rather them be demystified early on.
Any woman should be able to protect herself.
People are surprised that a former chief law enforcement officer would own a gun? REALLY????
Her response was great IMO because she framed gun ownership as a means for self-defense and the “my staff will deal with that later” line was funny/cute. It’s really fun getting to know Kamala The Candidate through all these sit-down interviews. She’s been perfection in terms of messaging and policies but she also has a really relatable, fun, and charming personality.
The Run-Up had an interview with one of her former staffers who is also one of her closest friends and she said the most important thing to know about Kamala is that she cares so deeply for others. I think that comes through in interviews where she seems both strong but humble, personable yet professional. It’s an interesting dichotomy for sure.
Right?
So many prosecutors have been murdered across this country, as have other attorneys working in law enforcement, that it is not unusual for them to carry government issued weapons as part of their jobs.
And a KY judge was literally just murdered yesterday.
By a sheriff 🙁
I watched, and I needed tissue because it was emotional from Hadley Duval, Amber Thurman (who died because they wouldn’t give her a DNC), and the Natalie Griffith (Apalachee High School, GA) school shooting victim.
That makes me work harder to get out the vote!
Her stance on gun laws and gun ownership probably aligns with most people that support the 2nd amendment, myself included. Personally I think it’s a red flag if you think people should have access to assault rifles without extreme checks in place.
The fact of the matter is that many, many, many gun control measures proposed in USA wind up failing now because NRA has managed to convince everyone that the meaning of the 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with its original purpose – “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State…” I am firmly in agreement with Allan Lichtman, and Justice John Paul Stevens (ret) that the 2nd Amendment should be repealed. There are too many gun safety measures, most doomed to challenge and failure, that have to be very narrowly written to get around the NRA preferred interepretation of 2nd Amendment, having nothing to do with maintaining a “regulated Militia” – “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has declared gun violence a “public health crisis” and that the challenge has been getting worse, not better. Gun violence has become the #1 cause of death among children 1-19 years of age. That bears repeating. Gun violence has become the #1 cause of death among children 1-19 years of age.
She’s still not going to lock down the Republican/second amendment vote. The problem is most times the suspected burglar ends up being a child or spouse who’s gone downstairs for a midnight snack or a drink of water.
She can’t reach the hardcore 2nd A fanatics, but this comment can reach some undecided men and men who are wavering on DJT, both on guns and on “a woman can be tough.” It most likely wasn’t off the cuff.
Thank you for saying this Amy B. And even if it IS a ‘bad guy’, chances are they may grab the gun and use it against you (or their own) before you get a chance. I mean, they’re bad guys after all, likely they’ve got more experience in violence than the average person!
@lola09: You’re absolutely right. And I’ll add for black people having a licensed firearm doesn’t help them when they have encounters with the police.
Since she’s VPOTUS, and a candidate for president, chances are if someone’s getting shot after they broke into her house, its going to be the Secret Service that’s doing the shooting.
So while all that is true for the general public, she’s in a unique position.
But it was a great quip that might make those who think dems are coming for your guns and women are weak rethink some things.
🎯
She is so awesome. Agreed with what others have said. This doesn’t shock me at all. She’s talking about responsible gin ownership and common sense gin laws, but she still supports the US’ citizen’s right to bare arms. I think people are shocked because things are so polarized these days that we struggle with nuance and discourse and debate. Trump is just so evil and we’ve set up this “good versus evil” narrative when really Trump is not what being a republican means. Trump is a weirdo evil shit head unto his own and Harris is a brilliant navigator of tricky topics and ethical dilemmas. She is exactly what any political leader is SUPPOSED to be…in it for the PEOPLE! To make the USA a better place for everyone and to serve. We just aren’t used to that after the last few years. Go Harris and Walz
Her comment will make her look tough. I predict some Republican voters will vote for her after hearing what she said. It’s all good.
Harris saying that if someone breaks into her home, they’re getting shot isn’t really nuanced. It’s a pretty straightforward, reactionary statement that doesn’t reflect any deeper thinking about the complexities of gun ownership or gun control.
Did you not catch the rest of what she said?
That what the law that she is trying to get passed is for…”the complexities of gun ownership or gun control”
Some people just tell on themselves when they are trying to tell VP How DETAILED, COMPLEXED AND IN CONTROL she MUST be, while being COMPLETELY relatable.
trump does not talk about anything that involve complexities or control.
I live a few house down in the cul de sac from our former DA and we’ve talked about how as a young prosecutor the first thing he was told after being hired by the DA was to have a gun for protection.
Many districts issue weapons to their prosecutors for self-protection. Death threats are common.
She is such a BOSS. I am glad she put that out there after what happened to Paul Pelosi. Crazy needs to hear this message.
If anyone is bold enough to break into your home, they are bold enough to do anything and yes, you have every right to shoot someone before that happens.
I wish she had been there to protect him. Trump and his cult are still ‘”joking” about this. But we’re supposed to bend the knee when someone takes a shot at Trump. They are sick AF.
I am not surprised as a former prosecutor it was probably wise. There are crazy people who can damage prosecutor.
I like the way she frames this – that owning a gun should mean that you are more conscious about using it safely and having others use their guns responsibly, not less.
I thought the same thing, and it’s the argument most sane people, including sane gun owners, have. Be responsible, be safe, and no one needs weapons of war.
There was a random shooting at my university when I was there. This was back in the 90s, when there was an assault weapons ban. I often think how much more horrific it would have been had there not been, and the person got ahold of one.
Americans are such a dangerous people. The culture is truly unhinged.
We bought our first house from the widow of a prosecutor — that house wasn’t large, but it had the best security system I’d ever seen.
I’m sure she not only has a gun but was trained to use it properly.
It’s far from surprising that someone who worked in law enforcement for ages owns a gun and knows how to use it.
As a former prosecutor myself, I get this 1000%. You encounter so many disgruntled individuals, including many people heavily affected by mental health issues and/or drugs. I also stayed armed myself after a defendant I put in jail for molesting a child made comments that the bailiff heard and shared with me, my trial partner, and the judge in our court.