REM: Kamala Harris tries to dodge energy policy questions even as she reverses on fracking

Vice President Kamala Harris, the current Democratic presidential nominee, said in 2019 – during the previous presidential race – that she would ban fracking on her first day in office. “There’s no question: I’m in favour of banning fracking,” she told a CNN forum for Democratic candidates. She later said she was in favour of more regulation of fracking on public land.

Yet the stance has dogged her in the current presidential campaign, ever since President Joe Biden pulled out of the race on July 21, handing the reins to Harris. The vote is on November 5, and the new president will take office in January.

The pro-fossil fuel Trump, who gave his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention against a backdrop of “Drill, baby, drill!” chants, has described her as being anti-energy. Trump has accused Harris of plotting a “war on American energy” and has vowed to boost production of oil, gas and coal.

More recently, Harris’ campaign has said she does not oppose fracking. During her first interview as nominee, recently on CNN, Harris was specifically asked about her flip-flop. She retorted: “As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking.”  It was her most definitive statement on the issue since becoming the nominee.