Investor urges VP Harris to move to center after support of 'very progressive' positions
Galaxy Digital founder and CEO Michael Novogratz said that he's waiting to see if Vice President Harris, who became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee following President Biden's withdrawal from the race, moderates her progressive policy positions before endorsing her candidacy.
Novogratz, a leading investor in cryptocurrency, said in a Tuesday appearance on FOX Business Network's "The Claman Countdown" that he wants to see signs that Harris is moving to the center on some of the progressive positions she took as a senator representing California and during her presidential campaign.
"The presumptive nominee, Kamala Harris, has come up with good energy and, has excited the party. Right? Fundraising over $100 million in the first day," he said. "You know, we haven't seen Kamala Harris in three and a half years, and I want to give her a week, give her a month, give her two months to show up and see who she is."
"As a senator from California, she had a very progressive voting record and I just don't think that's where America is right now. I think the country is looking for something in the center – decency, common sense and strong economic policies," Novogratz explained.
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"I'm hoping we're going to see a different presidential nominee Kamala Harris, than we saw Senator Harris. I think the country needs that," he said. "I think we'll see with her vice presidential pick, probably someone like a Josh Shapiro or a Mark Kelly, you know, a common sense centrist Democrat. And I think if that's the ticket and that's the case, she's got great, great chances to win in the fall and I'd be happy to see it."
Claman noted that Novogratz had supported Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., who launched a short-lived bid to challenge President Biden for the Democratic nomination, and asked whether he sees any challengers emerging following Harris' ascent.
"I think all Democrats are going to support Kamala. What I'm hoping is she listens and takes the temperature of the American people and pivots from the far left to the center," he said. "I've traveled around a lot, I've spoken to a lot of people, America is hoping for someone that moves to the center."
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Novogratz said that he wished the Republican convention last week had stuck with a more moderate tone that could appeal to the center of the electorate.
"The Republican National Convention didn't, it started looking like it wanted to, and it was aggressive, the tone was aggressive, the tone was 'us versus them' and I just think America needs to move beyond that," Novogratz said.
"If this is business as usual, I'm going to declare myself an Independent. If the Democratic Party moves to where I think America is, I'm going to be a huge supporter," he added.
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Novogratz also took issue remarks by GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, in which he criticized "barons" on Wall Street and blamed them for the financial crisis.
"It's awfully rich given that, you know, Peter Thiel — billionaire Peter Thiel — has been his big backer. The whole Silicon Valley crowd now, David Sacks and Elon Musk with his $45 million a month to Trump and Vance's campaign. So I would be very careful throwing rocks in glass houses if I was JD Vance," Novogratz said.
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Musk this week pushed back on reports about him donating $45 million a month to a super PAC backing the Trump-Vance campaign, saying he's providing financial support to the PAC but at a "much lower level" than what was reported.