COLUMBUS, Ga. — Former President Bill Clinton expressed his support for Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign event on Monday, emphasizing that the election’s outcome will depend on the integrity of the vote count. When asked by NBC News about what would determine the result of the election, Clinton stated, “Who wants it bad enough and whether we can get an honest, open count.” A representative for Clinton later clarified that his comments were in response to reports of threats and intimidation faced by election officials.
Clinton has been actively campaigning for Harris in Georgia, where his comments about immigration over the weekend sparked some controversy. He aimed to highlight that Harris is more committed than former President Donald Trump to addressing border issues, referencing the tragic murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley in February. Clinton noted that the suspect charged in her death was a Venezuelan national who had entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, suggesting that if migrants had been “properly vetted,” such incidents could have been prevented.
In response, Trump has criticized the Harris campaign, pointing out that the suspect came into the U.S. shortly before Harris described the border as “secure.” The Harris campaign contended that Clinton’s remarks were taken out of context, reiterating that he spoke about the need for “vetted” immigrants to fulfill essential roles in the workforce. Clinton also remarked on Trump’s efforts that resulted in the failure of a bipartisan border security bill earlier this year.
As the campaign enters its final phase, Clinton joins other prominent figures, including former President Barack Obama, in supporting Harris. A recent NBC News poll suggests that the race is extremely close.