Harris will be subject to 60 Minutes questioning while Trump sits out the matter

Vice President Kamala Harris has been criticized for weeks for avoiding tough questions during lengthy traditional media interviews.

In an interview with CBS News' “60 Minutes” that aired Monday night, she faced many of them at once.

The most important question was whether she regretted initial border policies during the Biden administration that allowed a historic surge of immigrants crossing the border.

“Was it a mistake to loosen immigration policy as much as you did?” “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker asked.

“It's a long-standing problem and there are solutions in place, and from day one we've literally offered solutions,” Harris said, pointing to an early effort to advocate for immigration legislation in Congress.

Whitaker, noting that the border security problem had been going on for decades, tried to pin Harris twice more. She did not acknowledge any policy error on her part or on the part of President Joe Biden, pointing to the administration's efforts since the day Donald Trump took office to work with Congress and push through a comprehensive immigration solution. Harris also pointed to changes the administration made recently that significantly limited encounters at the southern border.

“Because of what we've done, we've reduced the flow of illegal immigration by half, but we need Congress to act to actually solve the problem,” she said.

It was just one of the burning questions Whitaker posed as he bombarded Harris and, for a briefer period, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in the run-up to the November election. Harris and Walz have been cautious about engaging with traditional media, a strategy that has some Democrats worried it could end up hurting them. Twenty-nine days before the election, the Harris campaign announced a media “blitz” that included appearances on late-night shows.

Before the interview, the show noted that it has been a decades-long practice to air interviews of both presidential candidates in a special program. But after initially accepting the invitation and letting his campaign coordinate logistics, Trump backed out. (Instead of a segment about Trump, the show instead aired a segment about the battle in Maricopa County, Arizona, a key voting location where Republicans have pushed back against Trump allies who promoted baseless conspiracies that he didn't lose there 2020.)

This meant that only Harris was responsible for her previous statements, early positions and campaign promises. She dodged or evaded many questions. This also included the question of whether they thought Ukraine should be part of NATO.

At one point, Harris was pressured about how she would pay for funding for small business loans, child tax credits, housing assistance and other promises she made along the way. Their first reaction was to criticize Trump's economic policies.

“I will ensure that the wealthiest among us, those who can afford it, pay their fair share of taxes. It is not right that teachers, nurses and firefighters pay a higher tax rate than billionaires and the largest corporations,” she said.

Whitaker pushed Harris, saying she wouldn't get it through Congress in the “real world.” She disagreed.

He also asked Harris how she would respond to Republicans' claim that the public doesn't know her because she has changed her previous positions so many times.

“For the last four years I have served as Vice President of the United States. And I traveled our country. And I listened to people and found out what was possible in terms of common ground. I believe in consensus building. We are a diverse people, geographically, regionally and in our heritage,” Harris said. “And what the American people really want is for us to have leaders who can build consensus.”

Harris also revealed a little more about owning a gun after she said in a televised discussion with Oprah Winfrey that anyone breaking into her home would be “shot.”

Harris only said that she owned a Glock and that “of course” I fired it at a shooting range.

At the end, Harris was given the opportunity to comment on what voters should take away from Trump skipping an interview. Harris encouraged the public, as he has in the past, to watch his rallies and listen to his remarks.

“You will hear conversations that talk about himself and all his personal grievances. And what you won’t hear affects you, the listener,” Harris said. “You won't hear how he will try to bring the country together and find common ground. … That’s why I believe in my soul and my heart that the American people are ready to turn the page.”