VP Kamala Harris Harshly Criticizes JD Vance's RNC Address: "Did Not Talk About Project 2025."

Vice President Kamala Harris slammed Senator JD Vance's address at the Republican National Convention and she highlighted what she saw as glaring omissions and divisive rhetoric. Speaking at a campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina Harris criticized Vance for not addressing Project 2025. "Frankly, what is very telling is what [Vance] did not talk about on that stage," Harris stated.

"He did not talk about Project 2025, their 900-page blueprint for a second Trump term. He did not talk about it because their plans are extreme and they are divisive," she argued, as per PBS. Project 2025 is a 920-page far-right strategy paper that some people call an authoritarian playbook. It gives hundreds of suggestions that target things like the LGBTQ+ community, reproductive rights, and education. Former President Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from this document but many former members of his government were involved in making it, as per ABC.

Harris's comments come following a recent assassination attempt on Trump. It has prompted the Republican Party to adopt a unified stance. However, the Vice President refuted this narrative, noting that true unity required more than just rhetoric, saying, "In recent days, they've been trying to portray themselves as a party of unity. But here's the thing, if you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word." She went on to argue that the GOP's agenda is fundamentally at odds with the concept of unity: "You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans of basic freedoms, opportunity and dignity," as per HuffPost.

The Vice President specifically called out the Republican stance on reproductive rights, saying, "You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are intent on taking reproductive freedoms from the people of America and the women of America." Instead of being super critical like Harris, Vance's speech at the RNC tried to be more friendly and understanding. "Our disagreements actually make us stronger, like my time in the U.S. Senate," Vance said. "Sometimes I persuade my colleagues, and sometimes they persuade me. Shouldn't we be governed by a party that isn't afraid to debate ideas and come to the best solution?"

Harris, however, was not swayed by this rhetoric. She characterized Vance's speech as "a compelling story — and it was not the full story." Harris talked about the election coming up and said it is a big moment for the country and really important, "Ultimately in this election, we each face a question, and this herein lies our power. The question we face is: 'What kind of country do we want to live in?' Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law? Or a country of chaos, fear and hate?"