When they go low, Kamala Harris goes high — Miller High Life, to be exact.
The Democratic presidential nominee took her campaign to late-night TV on Tuesday, sharing a can of lager with host Stephen Colbert. It was a moment that distinguished her from both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who are famously non-drinkers.
During the interview at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater, Harris also sharply criticized Trump over reports that he sent Covid testing kits to Russia’s Vladimir Putin while Americans struggled without them. “He thinks that’s his friend,” she said. “What about the American people? They should be your first priority.”
The appearance capped off a media blitz for Harris, who has faced criticism for avoiding interviews. In the past week, she spoke with CBS’s 60 Minutes, the Call Her Daddy podcast, The View, and radio host Howard Stern.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is known for its blend of serious politics and light humor. On Tuesday, Colbert pointed out that voters want a candidate they can have a beer with, and Harris had requested Miller High Life in advance. “The last time I had beer was at a baseball game with Doug,” she shared, raising her can. “Cheers.”
Colbert highlighted the beer’s Milwaukee roots, making a nod to Wisconsin voters, and quizzed Harris on her favorite Bob Seger songs. She pivoted, preferring to namecheck Aretha Franklin and Eminem, hoping to resonate with Michigan voters.
The interview wasn’t all lighthearted. Colbert questioned Harris about the 7 October attack by Hamas and Israel’s response. Harris emphasized the urgency of a ceasefire and a hostage deal, saying, “This war has got to end.” She also shared her meetings with families affected by the conflict and expressed determination to reach a resolution.
Harris also weighed in on a report from journalist Bob Woodward’s new book that Trump had multiple private calls with Putin after leaving office and secretly sent Covid testing machines to Russia. Trump denied the claim, but Harris didn’t hold back. “He admires dictators and strongmen, and he gets played by them,” she said. “This man gave Covid test kits to Putin while Americans were scrambling for tests.”
Visibly frustrated, Harris recalled the early pandemic days when thousands were dying daily, and families were unable to be with their loved ones. “And he’s sending tests to Vladimir Putin?” she asked. “What about the American people?”
Colbert also revisited a viral moment from Harris’s debate with Trump, asking her what she was thinking when she gave him a now-famous frown. With a laugh, Harris hinted, “It starts with a W, there’s a letter in the middle, and it ends with F.”
The interview wrapped up with Harris laughing about Trump’s 2020 election loss. “When you lose millions of jobs and the election, what does that make you? A loser,” she said, borrowing a line from one of her rally supporters.
With a grin, she added, “This is what happens when I drink beer!”
