'My values have not changed'

Harris defends her policy changes during first sit-down interview of her campaign for president

- ZEKE MILLER AND COLLEEN LONG

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris reaches to high-five supporters at a campaign rally during a two-day bus tour in Savannah, Ga., on Thursday.

Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday defended shifting away from some of her more liberal positions in the first major television interview of her presidential campaign, but insisted her “values have not changed” even as she is “seeking consensus.”

Sitting with her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris was asked about changes in her policies over the years, specifically her reversals on fracking and decriminalizing illegal border crossings.

“I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris replied.

The interview with CNN’s Dana Bash gave Harris a chance to try to quell criticism that she has eschewed uncontrolled environments while also giving her a fresh platform to define her campaign and test her political mettle ahead of an upcoming debate with former president Donald Trump set for Sept. 10. But it also carried risk, as her team tries to build on momentum from the ticket shakeup following Joe Biden’s exit and last week’s Democratic National Convention.