Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide, told Newsmax on Monday that Vice President Kamala Harris risks alienating moderate and independent voters by not clarifying her policy positions.
"I sat on a focus group right after her interview with CNN and even the Democrats were a little disappointed, some gravely disappointed, that she didn't clarify her policies because we all believe that this race is going to come down to issues and it is going to come down to the economy," Gates said on "American Agenda." "So, I think the more that she tries to hide from those issues, talking about those issues, then she is running in peril of being able to bring in particularly those moderate and independent voters, but also other demographics.
"I think that's why you're starting to see the polls shift back the other way. She got very little, if any, bounce from her convention, and so I think all those ingredients combined together as we now move into Labor Day — between now and Election Day is the important period — people are going to be more focused on her.
"You watch the number of interviews and everything that she hasn't done. How are the American people supposed to understand what she stands for? And that will be a big sticking spot for those Democrat and even moderate and independent voters. They won't vote for her."
During her first interview with a media outlet since becoming the Democrat nominee for president, Harris told CNN on Thursday that although some of her policy positions may have changed, her values have not.
"I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed," Harris said. "You mentioned the Green New Deal. I have always believed — and I have worked on it — that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter to which we should apply metrics that include holding ourselves to deadlines around time."
One of the policies that Harris has been accused of flip-flopping on is fracking and her vow to ban the energy extraction method on her first day in office.
At a Democrat debate in 2019, Harris said there was "no question" that she was "in favor of banning fracking." On Thursday, however, she mentioned how she had cast the tie-breaking vote to expand fracking leases.
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE -- See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com