Kamala Harris Dodges Debate Question on Lockdowns, Mask Mandates

Sen. Kamala Harris dodged a question about masks and lockdowns during the vice presidential debate on Wednesday.

“What would a Biden administration do in January and February that a Trump administration wouldn’t do? Would you impose new lockdowns for businesses and schools in hotspots? A federal mandate to wear masks?” asked debate moderator Susan Page.

Harris immediately pivoted to attack the Trump administration’s handling of the virus, calling it the “greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.”

She also argued that Trump and Pence tried to cover up the disease.

“They knew what it was happening and they didn’t tell you,” she said. “They knew and they covered it up.”

Finally, Harris spoke about Biden’s proposals for a national strategy for coronavirus contact tracing, more testing for the virus, and administrating the coronavirus vaccine.

But Harris did not say anything about a national mask mandate, an issue that the Biden campaign has repeatedly signaled support for and then walked back, before again calling for it again.

She also did not answer the question about lockdowns.