[King:] Black women are the most reliable piece of the Democratic coalition. And Kamala Harris knows that is partly why she has a chance now to make history.
[Senator Kamala Harris , Presumptive Vice Presidential Nominee:] There will be a planned you don't want to have any false modesty about a black woman being on the ticket. But it takes more than just that to motivate black women to vote. People have to speak to their issues. And the Biden-Harris ticket does that.
[King:] Does it? Does it do that? Or are there still questions about Biden's role in past crime debates and about bussing or about Harris' work as a prosecutor? Astead Herndon of "The New York Times" is back with us. It is a fascinating question for me, Astead. We talked earlier in the program, you know, the Sanders wing, other liberal wings of the party that might have issue with Joe Biden, largely muting them saying let's beat Trump, then we'll talk. Is it the same way, do you think? Black female voters who might have an issue with Kamala Harris's role as a prosecutor or Joe Biden's past debate? Can this ticket answer those concerns enough to get enthusiasm and turnout?
[Astead Herndon, National Political Reporter, "the New York Times":] Well, what we know is that black women are kind of the most loyal base of the Democratic Party. They will vote for Democrats probably in the largest number of any demographic group.
[Herndon:] The question, as you mentioned, is about energy and turnout. That is one that probably would've been high with Donald Trump on the ballot anyway. But we can expect to see some level of energy because of the kind of historic ticket that when we look back four years ago Hillary Clinton kind of returned to John Kerry-esque level of black turnout. And that and the race that was so close. If she was a little more closer to the Obama '08 or the Obama 2012 numbers then she could have gotten over. I think that this Biden ticket sees Harris as someone that can move them closer in that direction. But I will also say that is largely going to come down to black men who we also see the biggest drop-off with in terms of turnout or in terms of voting for Republicans is slightly higher numbers. If she's going to get that Obama-esque energy, it's going to have to come from both black women and also black men.
[King:] Which raises the question again in this most unconventional of campaigns How do they do that outreach to the, you know, you've seen the protests, you've covered some of this of these protests in the wake of the George Floyd and other horrific incidences in the United States of America where you see black women and black men out there. And they're mad at the system. And some of them, frankly, are skeptical that, you know, Joe Biden is the old guard. Kamala Harris, the word "prosecutor" to many of them, you know, has their heads snap back. can they do to get at them and say, look, A, we're listening, and B, let's defeat the President, he's the bigger enemy?
[Herndon:] Right. I think it's going to be that double-sided argument. There is the kind of "think first for November" argument which is particularly motivating to a kind of older generation or maybe folks who are disaffected from the process and they want to bring them in, that we're going to be the administration that listen to you. But the other message you have from the Biden-Harris ticket activist, is that we're moveable. I mean that they are someone who could respond to pressure and that that's a better partner for movements and for kind of activist leaders and a Trump administration who has no interest in hearing them and actively runs against their concerns. There is a structural problem though with the ticket Democrats have, in particular the request of younger, more progressive activists. This is not a ticket that embraces the kind of big systemic change. They use the language of systemic racism. But they are not embracing the kind of ideals that the kind of younger crowd wants in terms of change. That's going to be a disconnect. So I think the foremost concern for the ticket is going to be try to motivate people to say, you know, we can deal with that stuff after November. Let's get Trump out first.
[King:] Astead Herndon of "The New York Times", Very much appreciate your reporting and your insights for opening a fascinating chapter with the convention this week. And that's it for INSIDE POLITICS. Hope you can catch us weekdays as well, we're here at noon Eastern. Up next, "STATE OF THE UNION WITH JAKE TAPPER".