5 takeaways from Kamala Harris and Tim Walz’s first joint interview

The interview was conducted by CNN’s Dana Bash and aired Thursday night over the course of about 45 minutes.

Here are five key takeaways from the interview.

1. Harris addressed her changing positions

Much has been made of Harris’ shift in positions since her 2020 presidential campaign, when she adopted a variety of progressive positions on climate change, immigration and health care.

Bash first pressed on climate change, asking about her previous embrace of the Green New Deal and her 2019 support for a fracking ban.

“In 2020, I’ve made it very clear where I stand,” Harris said of fracking. “We are in 2024 and I have not changed this position and I will not move forward. I kept my word and I will keep my word.”

She explained the shift by talking about the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration’s signature climate bill.

“What we’ve seen is that we can grow and grow a prosperous clean energy economy without banning fracking,” she said.

When asked about her past support for “decriminalization” of the border, Harris emphasized her support for — and commitment to reviving — the bipartisan border bill that Republicans killed earlier this year.

More broadly, Harris said “her values ​​haven’t changed.”

2. Harris has said she will appoint a Republican to her cabinet

Asked by Bash if he would appoint a Republican to his cabinet, Harris said he would.

“I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are made that have different opinions, different experiences,” Harris said. “And I think it would be in the best interest of the American public to have a member of my cabinet who is a Republican.”

While Biden hasn’t appointed any Republicans to his cabinet, it’s not unheard of.

Barack Obama and George Bush both had members of the opposite party in their cabinets during their terms as president. Both Biden and former President Donald Trump have appointed members of the opposite party to lower-level positions.

3. Walz addressed his military service and IVF controversies

Since Walz became the vice presidential candidate, he has faced particular scrutiny over two aspects of his personal biography: his characterizations of his military service and his apparent combination of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Bash asked Walz about comments he made in 2018 in which he suggested he carries weapons in war, despite never having been deployed to a war zone as a member of the Minnesota National Guard. He made the remarks while discussing his support for gun control measures. The Harris campaign said Walz misspoke.

“I think people come to know me. I speak like them. I speak honestly. I wear my emotions on my sleeves and I speak with great passion,” Walz said during the interview Thursday.

Later, addressing Republican critics, he added: “If it’s not that, it’s an attack on my kids for showing love to me, or it’s an attack on my dog, I’m not going to do it.”

Walz also suggested that he and his wife used IVF to conceive children. They actually used IUI.

Both are fertility treatments, but the process is different: IVF involves fertilizing—and potentially discarding—embryos outside the womb, and is thus potentially threatened by anti-abortion laws, while IUI is not.

“I think most Americans understand, if you’ve been through it,” Walz said. “I don’t think they’re cutting through IVF or IUI, I think what’s cutting is the ban on abortion and the ability to be able to deny families the chance to have a beautiful child.”

4. Harris said there will be no change in US policy towards Israel

While pro-Palestinian protesters and other progressives push for an arms embargo on Israel, Harris said there will be no change in US policy toward Israel.

Harris also affirmed his support for a deal that would lead to the release of the hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza, which is the current position of the Biden administration.

Although Harris has largely sided with Biden’s approach to Israel, she has often sounded somewhat different from the president when speaking about the conflict, including more strongly highlighting the plight of Palestinians who have suffered and died as a result of Israel’s counteroffensive.

“Israel had the right — it has the right to defend itself,” Harris said, but added: “What does it matter. Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.”

5. Harris described the moment Biden told him he was dropping out of the race

Harris said that when Biden called to inform her that he was dropping out of the race, she was doing a puzzle with her granddaughters.

“He told me what he decided to do,” Harris said. “And I asked him, ‘Are you sure?’ And he said, “Yes.”

Harris also said that Biden was very clear that he would support her campaign, but that she was more focused on him.

“My first thought wasn’t about me, to be honest with you. My first thought was about him,” she said.