Sen. Kamala Harris's (D., Calif.) multiple reversals on whether or not her health care proposal would eliminate private health insurance was spotlighted by CNN's Kate Bolduan on Friday, but her campaign is insisting "she's been very clear" throughout the campaign.
"This is something like the third go-around of her having to clarify and facing questions about what is your position on "Medicare for all," where is the line and where do you stand," Kate Bolduan asked Harris communications director Lily Adams. "The fact that she's explaining it multiple times, is that not a problem?"
"I don't think so, she's been very clear," Adams said. "In fact, there's a whole bill that she's sign on to. That is her plan."
Adams then criticized reporters for making the issue a "box checking exercise."
"But she did have to clarify the position," Bolduan said. "I assume that going forward it's not going to need anymore clarification."
"I don't think anyone is unclear," Adams said. "I think she's been very clear today when she's been asked about it, and has been very clear on the trail."
Harris early on in her presidential campaign advocated for eliminating private health insurance during a CNN town hall event with Jake Tapper, but her campaign quickly retreated from the position, saying Harris "would also be open to the more moderate health reform plans" that would preserve the private insurance industry. She last month again insisted to Tapper that her plan doesn't get rid of private insurance.
But on Thursday night when the debate moderator asked candidates on the stage to raiser their hand if they favored abolishing private health insurance in favor of a government-run plan, Harris's hand immediately shot up. After the debate Harris said she misunderstood the question.
Harris is a co-sponsor of the Medicare for All Act introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). Sanders openly says his bill aims to eliminate private health insurance.
Harris's many positions on private health insurance were put together in one video by America Rising: