Kamala Harris has faced criticism for her apparent shift in stance on fracking, with CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale disputing her claims of clarity on the issue.
Vice President Kamala Harris's past statements on fracking have come under scrutiny following her recent claims that she made her position "very clear" during the 2020 presidential election. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale has challenged this assertion, casting doubt on whether Harris adequately clarified her stance at the time.
In a 2019 interview, Harris unequivocally called for a complete ban on fracking, a position she expressed while seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. However, during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash in July 2022, Harris reversed her stance, stating that she would not ban fracking as president.
Harris's Fracking Stance Flip-Flop Under Scrutiny
When pressed on whether her views had changed during the 2020 campaign, Harris doubled down, claiming she had "made very clear" her support for Biden's position of preserving fracking. Dale refuted this claim, pointing out that Harris's 2020 debate remarks focused on advocating for Biden's policy rather than articulating her own views.
Dale played a clip of Harris's 2019 statement in favor of a fracking ban and contrasted it with her 2020 vice-presidential debate comments, highlighting her failure to explicitly renounce her previous stance. He concluded that while Harris may have been speaking on Biden's behalf, it was not clear that she had personally abandoned her earlier position.
Harris's Fracking Stance Flip-Flop Under Scrutiny
Harris's shift in stance has raised eyebrows, particularly in light of her prior support for progressive policies. NBC News correspondent Yamiche Alcindor noted that Harris's claim that her values had not changed was undermined by her unexplained policy reversals.
Harris's reluctance to grant interviews since emerging as the Democratic nominee has also been met with criticism. She went nearly 40 days without holding a press conference, leading to speculation about her reasons for avoiding scrutiny.
Harris's Fracking Stance Flip-Flop Under Scrutiny
Harris's decision to conduct her first interview alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, instead of a solo appearance, has also sparked debate. The move was seen by some as an attempt to deflect attention from her policy flip-flops and other controversial issues.
As the 2024 Democratic primary approaches, Harris's evolving positions and communication strategy are likely to be closely scrutinized by both voters and political analysts.
Harris's Fracking Stance Flip-Flop Under Scrutiny
