Kamala Harris derides Trump, MAGA base for tarnishing America's 'pro democracy' image

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday said that former US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) allies' unsubstantiated claims of election fraud and "stop the steal" campaign have put the United States in a vulnerable position, and that the American democracy is now looked upon with scepticism. Republican ex-leader Trump's supporters make the world question the fact whether the United States "values democracy," irate Harris said in an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday. 

Harris' remarks against Trump's base come just days after Biden's rare primetime speech, wherein he slammed the MAGA "forces" as extremists who are determined to "take this country backwards." In his impassioned 'fight for the soul of the nation' speech, Biden termed the MAGA supporters as "semi-fascist" in a grave tone, who he said are bent to take America to times where there was no right to choose. No right to privacy. No right to contraception, no right to marry. 

MAGA forces “promote authoritarian leaders and they fan the flames of political violence. They are a threat to our personal rights, to the pursuit of justice, to the rule of law, to the very soul of this country," said Biden.  "Not even a majority of Republicans are MAGA Republicans, but there's no question the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans — and that is a threat to democracy," he added.

Trump MAGA supporters 'tarnished America's reputation': Harris 

Echoing the Democrat President's sentiments, US Vice President Harris said in a televised interview that the stolen election conspiracy theories reverberated worldwide and that such attempts to jeopardize the democratic electoral process tarnished America's reputation as a pro-democratic nation on a global level.

That’s a “shame,” Harris said, arguing the US in the past enjoyed the “privilege” of “holding our head up as a defender and an example of a great democracy.”  This, in turn, handed the country legitimacy to tackle issues including human rights around the world. But GOP's rhetoric sent shockwaves and wrong signals to the rest of the countries in the world, Harris noted, adding that January 6 Capitol rioters are “a threat” to America’s perceptions outside. 

"I think what it sends is a signal that causes people to question, 'Hey; is America still valuing what they talk about?' Which is the integrity of democracies. Which means protecting rule of law, and the sanctity of these systems—and speaking up when they're attacked," the vice president stressed.

Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. Credit: AP

Harris denounced Republicans who refuse to publicly condemn the January 6 "insurrection" and Trump-backed secretary of state candidates whom she labelled as the "election deniers" that contributed to slandering the US' world view on the globe. She  emphasized that Americans must "call into question our commitment to democratic principles."