WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Vice President Kamala Harris said she's 鈥渟cared as heck鈥 that Donald Trump could win another term as president as she pledged an aggressive campaign to make sure that doesn't happen.
She made the comments Wednesday on ABC's 鈥淭he View鈥 in response to a question from Joy Behar, one of the show's hosts. Behar cited reports that other top Democrats 鈥 including former and of South Carolina 鈥 are concerned about President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.
Asked if she was scared about the potential of another Trump presidency, Harris said: 鈥淚 am scared as heck! Which is why I鈥檓 traveling our country. You know, there鈥檚 an old saying that there鈥檚 only two ways to run for office 鈥 either without an opponent or scared. So on all of those points, yes, we should all be scared.鈥
Harris said the fear should serve as motivation for the campaign ahead.
鈥淲hen we are scared for the future of our children, do we then stay in bed with the covers over?" she said. "No, we can鈥檛."
Harris added, 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to earn reelection. There is no question. We鈥檝e got to be on the road.鈥
The vice president is scheduled to begin focused on abortion in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. Events will begin Monday, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protected the right to an abortion.
The court's conservative majority overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022, a significant defeat for Democrats but one that has also motivated the party's voters.
鈥淚n this year of our Lord 2024, the government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies, and so it鈥檚 that basic," Harris said.
Alyssa Griffin, a former Trump communications aide who has become a critic of the former president, pressed Harris on why Biden has fallen short of his predecessor in some polls.
鈥淲hat does it say that the party is struggling to compete with an unfit man who is very likely going to jail?" asked Griffin, who is another host of 鈥淭he View.鈥
Harris suggested that voters haven't been paying attention to politics and are now "beginning to narrow in on what this election will mean.鈥
She described a choice between 鈥渃ompetence versus chaos," as well as a battle for the future of American democracy.
鈥淭his is going to be the split screen," Harris said. "And I do believe that the American people are going to vote in favor of what is in the best interest of the future of our country and in particular our children.鈥
