Former GOP Candidate Spars with CNN Anchor on Harris' 'Mainstream' Image

Vivek Ramaswamy asserts that voters are unaware of Vice President Harris' far-left stance, citing a poll showing some voters perceive her as less radical than former President Trump.

Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy engaged in a heated debate with CNN anchor Kate Bolduan on Thursday over Vice President Kamala Harris' policy positions, after a recent poll suggested that some voters viewed Harris as less extreme than her Republican opponent in the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump.

During the segment, Bolduan presented the results of a CNN poll indicating that close to 50% of likely voters in six battleground states perceived Trump's views as "so extreme they pose a threat," while approximately 40% of voters in each state held the same view of Harris' positions.

Former GOP Candidate Spars with CNN Anchor on Harris' 'Mainstream' Image

Bolduan queried whether Ramaswamy believed that Team Trump should adjust their strategy based on the poll results, which implied that voters did not align with the "extreme" narrative against Harris.

Ramaswamy, however, expressed disagreement, asserting that voters had not been fully exposed to Harris' previous far-left policy stances due to limited media coverage.

Former GOP Candidate Spars with CNN Anchor on Harris' 'Mainstream' Image

"Voters have not yet been exposed, principally by the media, to what Kamala Harris' past positions actually are," Ramaswamy stated. "I don't blame the voters. They've been served up a new version of Kamala Harris, where she is running to the center on economic and social policies."

Ramaswamy highlighted Harris' past support for a tax on unrealized capital gains, her advocacy for abolishing private health insurance, and her opposition to fracking and offshore drilling. He argued that these positions were not mainstream for most Americans.

Former GOP Candidate Spars with CNN Anchor on Harris' 'Mainstream' Image

Bolduan defended Harris' shifting stances, citing her recent interview with CNN's Dana Bash where Harris clarified her current policy positions. However, Ramaswamy maintained that Harris had not merely evolved on these issues but had actively taken policy actions that contradicted her current claims.

He pointed to Harris' previous support for a fracking ban in California and her co-sponsorship of a "Medicare-for-all" bill as examples of her past far-left stance.

Former GOP Candidate Spars with CNN Anchor on Harris' 'Mainstream' Image

Ramaswamy questioned the sincerity of Harris' change of heart, emphasizing the need for her to explain her reasons for altering her positions. He argued that the American public deserved a more robust policy debate, which they had yet to witness from Harris.

Bolduan pressed Ramaswamy on whether it was acceptable for candidates to revise their policy positions over time, but Ramaswamy reiterated that Harris' changes were not mere shifts but reversals of previously held positions on which she had taken policy action.

Ramaswamy expressed hope that subsequent media interviews and the upcoming ABC presidential debate would provide voters with a more comprehensive understanding of Harris' policy proposals. He stressed that the electorate deserved a thorough policy debate, which Harris had so far failed to engage in.