Trump derides Harris as ‘nasty’ to Biden during Democratic primary

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBT) — Although President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Sen. Kamala Harris had been his own No. 1 draft pick as Joe Biden’s running mate, he wondered why the former vice president chose her.
“I was a little surprised that he picked her,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House. “She did very, very poorly in the primaries.”
The California Democrat was “nasty” and “disrespectful” to Biden during the primary, Trump said.
“She’s known, from what I understand, as being just about the most liberal person in the U.S. Senate,” Trump said.
Trump said, and his campaign sent out a statement insisting, that Harris “called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received.”
“Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals,” Trump said.
When Trump was a private citizen, he donated to her attorney general campaigns twice, according to California state donation records. The first donation was in September of 2011 for $5,000, and the second was in February of 2013 for $1,000.
The Trump campaign noted Tuesday that the president made the donations before he ran for office, when he supported candidates on both sides of the aisle.
Bad blood exists between Harris and Trump, tracing in part to his swipe at her after she dropped out of the Democratic primary in December.
“Too bad. We will miss you Kamala!” he tweeted.
Shortly thereafter, she tweeted back, “Don’t worry, Mr. President. I’ll see you at your trial.”
Her rejoinder came before the House impeached Trump, and the Senate acquitted him.

Trump also holds a grudge from Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation hearing, telling reporters that she also was “nasty” toward Kavanaugh.
“I won’t forget that,” he said.
Among those commenting pro, con and with advice to Harris was Sarah Palin, who was John McCain’s running mate in 2008. The former Alaska governor posted on Instagram a list of lessons she learned from her campaign experience, telling Harris to “trust no one new” and “don’t get muzzled.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a close ally of the president, described Harris as a “formidable opponent.”
“She is smart, aggressive, and has fully bought in to the Democratic Party’s very liberal agenda,” Graham tweeted.
Harris and Vice President Mike Pence are expected to debate each other on Oct. 7 in Utah, the only vice presidential debate of the 2020 campaign season.

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