Harris courts voters with backing of former right-wing provocateur

WASHINGTON - US Vice-President Kamala Harris' efforts to showcase her campaign's political embrace of Republicans have led to the endorsements of arch-conservatives like Ms Liz Cheney and onetime Tea Party darlings like Mr Adam Kinzinger.

Now, Ms Harris can boast the backing of a wellknown former right-wing firebrand who amplified false claims of voter fraud and once referred to former first lady Michelle Obama in racist terms.

Mr Charlie Sykes, a former conservative talk-radio host, is scheduled to moderate a conversation with Ms Harris and Ms Cheney on Oct 21 in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield. He has undertaken a political transformation that is perhaps greater than either Ms Cheney's or Mr Kinzinger's.

During his heyday on Milwaukee radio, he regularly suggested shadowy outside forces were engaging in voter fraud to rig local elections and on occasion referred to Mrs Obama using the racist sobriquet "Mooch. In 2009, he emceed an event with Ms Sarah Palin for the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Right to Life.