Rep. Pocan says Republicans spread misinformation as Harris launches presidential campaign

As Democrats quickly coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan says Republicans are spreading misinformation about her record and the reason for her support.

“It’s reprehensible watching Republicans, especially here in Congress, using this terrible (idea) that she’s a diversity, equity and inclusion hire,” he recently said on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today“. 

Some Republicans, including Tennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, have suggested in interviews that President Joe Biden selected Harris as his running mate solely because she is Black.

“One-hundred percent she is a DEI hire,” Burchett said on Monday. “Her record is abysmal at best.”

Pocan pointed to Harris’ record as a former district attorney of a major city, a former state attorney general, former U.S. senator and the current vice president as part of the reason for her support. 

“That is a serious resume. And for the racism that Republicans are using right now on this, shame on them, and I hope it backfires,” he said. “I believe in the people of Wisconsin that they’re not going to fall for that kind of misinformation.”  

Pocan also spoke about his decision to back her campaign and the U.S. House resolution condemning Harris’ handling of immigration issues as the administration’s “Border Czar,” a title she did not formally receive. 

The following was edited for clarity and brevity.

Rob Ferrett: President Joe Biden made this announcement on Sunday that he’s out of the race and two days before that, you had called on Biden to end his reelection campaign. You had supported him staying in the race before, appearing with him on stage. What made you change your mind?

Mark Pocan: Unfortunately, perception was becoming reality. There was a perception from the debate that people didn’t like either candidate and I heard it hundreds of times over the few weeks that ensued and it was very clear that, unfortunately, that perception wasn’t changing.

RF: You joined a long list of elected Democrats endorsing Vice President Harris. For Wisconsin voters, why do you see making her a good candidate for president?

MP: First of all, she was part of the Biden-Harris administration that got us out of COVID, that’s got the economy going super strong. But more importantly, on her own, she is the former district attorney of a major city in California, former attorney general for California, former U.S. senator from California and she has the experience as vice president to hit the ground running.

RF: Why not have an open convention where different candidates make their case and take it to the delegates? 

MP: Anyone who wants to run is able to, but I think what you’re seeing is just a strong coalescence around the vice president. There’s a lot of misinformation put out by the Republicans claiming that this is something other than what it is. (Democrats are saying that) we are in the best position with the current vice president. Let’s do this and get it done and make sure that Donald Trump is not president. The rest is just myth and falsehoods.

RF: Kamala Harris is the first woman to serve as vice president of the United States and would be the first woman to be president. Do you see a role of gender in this campaign, for better or worse?

MP: Absolutely. The elected officials should represent the country. A majority of the country are women, for one, and we’ve never had a female president.

I really think that (the Republicans’) desperation is showing. I can’t wait until she debates Donald Trump. To say that she will chew him up and spit him out is only saying it very lightly. 

Look, we have a totally qualified person running, and whether it’s because she’s a woman, whether it’s because she’s a senator, whether it’s because she’s a former attorney general, whatever reason, she is imminently qualified to be president of the United States. 

RF: Republicans have been saying Vice President Harris is weak on border issues. She had been tapped as somebody who would lead some of the Biden administration border and immigration efforts. Is there a case to be made there? 

MP: This is the greatest misinformation today. We are voting on something condemning her as the “Border Czar,” and there’s no borders in her title, right? This is complete misinformation.

What she was assigned to do, and she’s done quite well, is address the root cause of why people are coming here, specifically three countries where we’re seeing the greatest migration.