Vice President Kamala Harris faced criticism over the weekend over remarks that she made during an interview with BET where she said that it was “almost impossible” for rural Americans to photocopy their IDs to prove who they are when it comes time to vote.
The remarks from Harris come as numerous polls have found that the overwhelming majority of Americans support voter ID laws when it comes to voting.
Harris also suggested that the government provides people with everything that they need, saying, “it is through the voting process, through the ballot box that we get all the things that we need.”
When asked if she would support voter ID laws, Harris responded, “I don’t think that we should underestimate what that could mean.”
“Because in some people’s mind, that means well, you’re going to have to Xerox or photocopy your ID to send it in to prove you are who you are,” she continued. “Well, there are a whole lot of people, especially people who live in rural communities, who don’t, there’s no Kinkos, there’s no OfficeMax near them.”
“People have to understand that when we’re talking about voter ID laws, be clear about who you have in mind and what would be required of them to prove who they are,” she concluded. “Of course, people have to prove who they are, but not in a way that makes it almost impossible for them to prove who they are.”
WATCH:
Kamala Harris absurdly says it’s “almost impossible” for rural Americans to photocopy their ID pic.twitter.com/J94IuGBFLv
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 10, 2021
TRANSCRIPT:
SOLEDAD O’BRIEN: Another key priority is voting rights.
KAMALA HARRIS: Yeah.
O’BRIEN: Honestly, the recent Supreme Court decisions around disclosure around weakening and the Voting Rights Act. Forty-eight states now have restrictions to voting pushed by Republicans. I read that you specifically asked to take this on. Is that true?
HARRIS: I did.
O’BRIEN: Why?
HARRIS: It’s so fundamental. It’s so fundamental. In our country right now, I believe there are 380 laws that are being presented to suppress or make it difficult for people to vote. And, you know, we’ve been saying this for years, I mean, people lived and died for our right to vote, it is through the voting process, through the ballot box that we get all the things that we need. And there are intentional attempts to deprive in particular, black and brown and students and Native Americans and Asians, the access to voting, voting is a right. There’s no question about that. We are not fighting for the, we have the right. What they’re trying to do is, is make the right meaningless by depriving access. Think about what they’re doing in these states. They’re basically punishing people for standing in line to vote. They’re punishing people for standing in line to vote. They’re saying, well if you’re going to be standing in that line for all those hours, you can’t have any water or any food.
O’BRIEN: So what can you do about that? I mean, again, the Supreme Court, not I think working against what you’re trying to do, which makes it more difficult in the fight. So what will you do?
HARRIS: Well, first of all, it’s about using the bully pulpit, to help people see what’s happening in the midst of all the daily issues that they have, you know, we’re not in an election year. You know, we tend to rally when we know the election is about to happen. But right now, we need to start rallying because these laws are being passed right now, that will make it almost impossible, or at least very difficult for you to vote. And why are they make trying to make it difficult for you to vote, so that you don’t vote. When we vote, we see what happens in terms of, you know, what people voted for in 2020, they voted for an extension of the child tax credit, which is now going to lift half of America’s children out of poverty. So part of the work that I’m doing is to travel around our country, and ask people in the midst of all of your challenges, please pay attention to this. Most of what you’re seeing in terms of attempts to suppress the vote are coming out of legislators and southern states. And, you know, and I’m also saying, look for some of those states where we that you know, where the legislature is hell bent on making it difficult for us to vote, we’re going to have to start rallying now to make sure we’re thinking creatively about how we register people to vote, how we remind them of what’s on the line.
O’BRIEN: People are talking about potential compromises. Is agreeing to voter id one of those compromises that you’d support?
HARRIS: I don’t think that we should underestimate what that could mean. Because in some people’s mind, that means well, you’re going to have to Xerox or photocopy your ID to send it in to prove you are who you are. Well, there are a whole lot of people, especially people who live in rural communities, who don’t, there’s no Kinkos, there’s no OfficeMax near them. People have to understand that when we’re talking about voter ID laws, be clear about who you have in mind and what would be required of them to prove who they are. Of course, people have to prove who they are, but not in a way that makes it almost impossible for them to prove who they are.