Harris Aide Insists Gun Comments During Oprah Interview Were ‘Joke,’ Claims VP Knew Media Would ‘Still’ Talk About It

Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, reiterated on CNN on Friday that the vice president's comments about shooting intruders were a “joke” and claimed she knew it would make the news.

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Thursday, Harris said she would shoot an intruder in her house, before laughing and acknowledging, “I probably shouldn't have said that.” On “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Bottoms emphasized that the vice president was joking and stressed her support for the “Second Amendment” in response to Tapper's rebuttal of her remarks. (Related: 'Cheers and Tears': Corporate media goes wild over Harris' 'emotional' Oprah event, ignoring multiple word smears)

“Well, she was joking. Of course, the vice president does multiple interviews and she knows everything she says is going to be criticized. So, it was a joke and she knew we'd still be talking about it to this day,” Bottoms said.

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“But I think it's important for people to know that the vice president respects the right to bear arms. She supports the Second Amendment, but she also wants responsible gun ownership and she wants communities to be safe,” Bottoms continued. “So it's a running joke, and it's true. But again, I think it speaks to the humanity of the vice president, and I think it's important right now, with 46 days until the election.”

During the first presidential debate with former President Donald Trump on September 10, Harris stated She added that both she and her running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are “gun owners” and “we're not taking away anyone's guns.”

The Vice President continues support It includes a ban on so-called “assault weapons” and requires universal background checks for all firearm purchases, including handgun purchases. During the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination race, Harris called for a mandatory gun buyback program for “assault weapons,” telling MSNBC's Craig Melvin in October 2019 that she could confiscate “up to 10 million guns.”

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