US Vice President Kamala Harris said in her first interview of her presidential campaign that Americans are ready to "turn the page" on the divisions she blames on her rival, Donald Trump.
"Unfortunately, over the last decade, in the person of the former president, we've had a person who has really pushed an agenda and an environment that is designed to diminish the character and strength of who we are as Americans, really dividing our nation," the Democrat told CNN.
"And I think people are ready to turn the page on that."
Harris said he would not ban fracking as US president, a key issue in Pennsylvania where the November election could be decided.
"As president, I will not ban fracking," the vice president said in a joint interview with presidential candidate Tim Waltz.
On the subject of "securing our borders," Harris reiterated that "my values haven't changed" and referred to her time as California attorney general when she "went after transnational criminal organizations."
But Harris once held more progressive views on immigration as a senator and in her 2020 presidential campaign. She previously advocated closing immigration detention centers and decriminalizing illegal border crossings.
Earlier this year, however, she backed a tough bipartisan border security deal that would have included hundreds of millions of dollars for a border wall.
Trump has pressured congressional Republicans to scuttle the deal, but Harris has vowed to "sign it into law" if elected.
To explain her moderate views on immigration, the Democratic nominee told CNN that her travels around the country as vice president have led her to "believe that it's important to have consensus and it's important to find common ground where and how we can actually solve the problems'.
Harris has been criticized by Republicans and some pundits for refusing to hold a news conference or give a detailed interview until now. Her critics say she avoids questioning her past work.
Her CNN appearance is her first substantive interview since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on July 21. Nearly three weeks ago, Harris promised to schedule an interview before the end of August. I BGNES
