Kamala Harris calls out Trump’s 'stand back and stand by' comment: ‘A dog whistle through a bullhorn’
Democratic nominee for vice president, Kamala Harris, appeared on MSNBC Tuesday night to share her reactions to the first presidential debate. Harris slammed President Trump for his unwillingness to condemn white supremacist groups. When moderator Chris Wallace challenged Trump to condemn violent white supremacist groups, he responded by saying, “Proud Boys stand back and stand by.” Proud Boys is an alt-right group with strong ties to nationalist and white supremacist groups. Harris believes Trump’s message to them was actually a call to action. “What we saw was a dog whistle through a bullhorn,” said Harris while discussing the president’s comments from the debate. “Donald Trump is not pretending to be anything other than what he is, someone who will not condemn white supremacists, someone who cannot say the phrase Black Lives Matter."
Video Transcript
KAMALA HARRIS: What Donald Trump has done, continuously, since he's been in office, including tonight, to debase the office of the President of the United States. And that is our office. It's not his office, that's the people's office.
KYLIE MAR: Joe Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, appeared on MSNBC Tuesday night for post-debate coverage, where she was asked about President Trump's attempts to condemn militia groups and white supremacists.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace.
CHRIS WALLACE: Well then do it, sir.
JOE BIDEN: Say it. Do it. Say it.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Do you want to call them-- what do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead--
CHRIS WALLACE: White supremacists and right-wing militia.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: --who would you like me to condemn?
JOE BIDEN: Proud Boys.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.
KYLIE MAR: Based on Trump's previous rhetoric and support for armed militias in the past, and Tuesday's message to the Proud Boys to quote, "Stand back and stand by", Harris was concerned that the denouncement was actually a call of support.
KAMALA HARRIS: What we saw was a dog whistle through a bullhorn. Donald Trump is not pretending to be anything other than what he is-- someone who will not condemn white supremacists, someone who cannot say the phrase Black Lives Matter. It's not a dog whistle. Literally he's talking through a bullhorn.
KYLIE MAR: Kamala hopes that a victory for her and Biden will mean actual change as opposed to what she believes the Trump administration has accomplished.
KAMALA HARRIS: Everything that Donald Trump talked about was what he was going to do, as opposed to what he has done. Like track the debate, I don't know how many times-- I didn't count-- he talked about what he's going to do. He's been president for almost four years.
