Fox’s Ari Fleischer: Harris ‘not that historically exciting to African Americans’

Ari Fleischer said Tuesday night that Joe BidenJoe BidenNAACP seeks to boost Black voter turnout in six states Biden touts Trump saying Harris would be ‘fine choice’ for VP pick Kamala Harris: The conventional (and predictable) pick all along MORE’s selection of Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisNAACP seeks to boost Black voter turnout in six states Biden touts Trump saying Harris would be ‘fine choice’ for VP pick Kamala Harris: The conventional (and predictable) pick all along MORE (D-Calif.) as his running mate will only tighten the presidential race by shining a spotlight on the presumptive Democratic nominee, with the former White House spokesman adding that Harris is “not that historically exciting to African Americans” if her primary performance was any indication.

“I think two political things are going to happen now that Harris is named,” Fleischer, who served in the George W. Bush administration, told Fox News host Laura IngrahamLaura Anne IngrahamOn The Trail: Pence’s knives come out Wisconsin Republicans raise questions about death of Black Trump supporter Cain given tributes after death from COVID-19 MORE on her primetime program. “One, this race is going to tighten up even more. The reason is because Biden naming her reminds people that Biden exists. He is so much better off hiding in his bunker and not making any news that he is making news.”

“Secondly, I just question whether or not this is going to boost African American turnout at all. I don’t think it will,” the Fox News contributor continued. “She’s just not that historically exciting to African Americans, she certainly wasn’t during the primary, and that was the one of the biggest reasons Biden picked her in order to win. I don’t see it.”

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Ari Fleischer: She’s just not that historically exciting to African Americans pic.twitter.com/72Y9ZnxozO

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) August 12, 2020

Harris, 55, who is of Jamaican and Indian descent, would become the first woman of color to serve as vice president if Biden tops President TrumpDonald John TrumpDemocrat calls on White House to withdraw ambassador to Belarus nominee TikTok collected data from mobile devices to track Android users: report Peterson wins Minnesota House primary in crucial swing district MORE in November.

“These aren’t normal times. For the first time in our history, we’re facing three historic crises — all at the same time. We’re facing the worst pandemic in 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The most powerful calls for racial justice in a generation. And we have a president who has both failed to lead on the virus — costing lives and decimating our economy — and fanned the flames of hate and division,” Biden said in an email to supporters on Tuesday in announcing Harris as his selection.

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“I need someone working alongside me who is smart, tough, and ready to lead. Kamala is that person,” the former vice president added.

Trump commented on Harris during a White House press briefing on Tuesday when asked about the pick.

“She was my No. 1 pick. I mean, she was … my No. 1 draft pick, and we’ll see how she works out,” Trump told reporters. “She did very, very poorly in the primaries, as you know. She was expected to do well. And she ended up right around 2 percent and spent a lot of money. She had a lot of things happening. So I was a little surprised he picked her.”

Biden reportedly considered former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenKamala Harris: The conventional (and predictable) pick all along On The Money: McConnell says it’s time to restart coronavirus talks | New report finds majority of Americans support merger moratorium | Corporate bankruptcies on pace for 10-year high Hillicon Valley: Facebook removed over 22 million posts for hate speech in second quarter | Republicans introduce bill to defend universities against hackers targeting COVID-19 research | Facebook’s Sandberg backs Harris as VP pick MORE (D-Mass.), Sen. Tammy DuckworthLadda (Tammy) Tammy DuckworthHillicon Valley: Facebook removed over 22 million posts for hate speech in second quarter | Republicans introduce bill to defend universities against hackers targeting COVID-19 research | Facebook’s Sandberg backs Harris as VP pick Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg hails Harris’s VP nomination Women on Biden’s rumored VP short list tweet support for choice of Harris MORE (D-Ill.) and Rep. Karen BassKaren Ruth BassHillicon Valley: Facebook removed over 22 million posts for hate speech in second quarter | Republicans introduce bill to defend universities against hackers targeting COVID-19 research | Facebook’s Sandberg backs Harris as VP pick Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg hails Harris’s VP nomination Women on Biden’s rumored VP short list tweet support for choice of Harris MORE (D-Fla) as his running mate, among others.