Kamala Harris Appeals to Republicans on Fox News

AFP/APP

Washington: Kamala Harris is set to reach out to hesitant Republican voters in an interview on Wednesday with conservative Fox News, while criticizing Donald Trump for branding himself the “father of IVF” on the same network.

The Democratic nominee will sit down with the right-wing broadcaster in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, aiming to court Republicans who are disillusioned with Trump’s dark rhetoric. With less than three weeks remaining in the closely contested White House race, both candidates are seeking any possible edge.

During a rally in Pennsylvania ahead of the interview, Harris quoted a report that Trump’s former top military officer, General Mark Milley, described Trump as “fascist to the core.”

She addressed Republicans directly, saying, “To those who are watching, if you share that view, no matter your party, no matter who you voted for last time — there is a place for you in this campaign.” Harris reiterated her description of Trump as “unhinged” for threatening to use the military against internal enemies.

Harris will be interviewed by Fox anchor Bret Baier, known for his tough but fair questioning, in a show airing at 6:00 PM (2200 GMT). This appearance marks a bold move into unfamiliar territory as Harris seeks to break the election deadlock.

‘Father of IVF’

Fox News has been a crucial platform for Trump’s political rise, and he criticized the network for featuring Harris, accusing Baier of being “very soft.” Trump sat down with the network for a pre-recorded town hall with an all-female audience, where the discussion turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF), a fertility treatment Democrats argue is threatened by his policies.

Despite being in his comfort zone on Fox, the topic proved challenging as many women have been alienated by Trump’s statements on reproductive rights and his broader campaign.

Trump was cheered when he told his audience in Georgia, a swing state, that Republicans champion the procedure. “I want to talk about IVF. I’m the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question,” he declared.

Harris, who has made defending reproductive rights a core aspect of her platform, called Trump’s comments “bizarre.” She emphasized, “Couples who are praying and hoping and working toward growing a family have been so disappointed and harmed by the fact that IVF treatments have now been put at risk.”

Reproductive rights have been a significant vulnerability for Trump since the Supreme Court, with three Trump-appointed justices, dismantled federal protections for abortion access in 2022. Many within the anti-abortion movement also wish to see IVF curtailed.

The Harris campaign highlighted the case of Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother who died in Georgia in August after delays in receiving care for complications from a medical abortion. This underscores the impact of restrictive reproductive policies.

Trump’s town hall in Georgia was filmed on Tuesday, the first day of early voting in the crucial state, with a record 328,000 ballots cast. Trump faces charges of election tampering in Georgia, following his push for officials to “find” enough votes to overturn President Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 win in the state.

Meanwhile, Harris received some good news with former president Jimmy Carter casting his vote by mail for the 2024 election. The 100-year-old Democrat was fulfilling a personal wish to live long enough to support Harris.