US Vice President Kamala Harris has taken part in a livestream with former talk show host Oprah Winfrey, as she looks for a boost among persuadable and less-motivated voters.

Thursday night’s event, billed as “Unite for America”, was hosted by Winfrey from suburban Michigan, one of the election’s key battlegrounds in the US election.

There were 400 people in the audience and many more joined online, including celebrities such as Brian Cranston, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep.

“Hello, President Harris,” Streep said – before catching herself.

“47 days,” Harris said.

More than 210,000 people watched on the Harris campaign livestream on YouTube alone before Winfrey introduced the candidate – while the event was also streamed on other major social media platforms.

Harris and Winfrey discussed issues around reproductive rights, including Hadley Duvall, a Kentucky woman who was raped by her stepfather and impregnated at 12 years old, and the family of Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old Georgia mother who died after not receiving care.

“This story is a story that is sadly not the only story of what has been happening since these bans have taken place,” Harris said.

“In state after state, including yours, these abortion bans have been passed that criminalise health-care providers.”

Winfrey said: “Even when a mother’s life is in danger?”

“Here’s the problem with that. Is she on death’s door because you actually decide to give her help? Is that what we’re saying? Harris said. “Literally, a doctor or nurse has to say; she might die any minute, better give her now care because otherwise, I may go to prison for life in some cases.”

They also covered gun violence prevention, with Harris declaring she was in favour of the American right to bear arms.

“I think for far too long on the issue of gun violence, some people have been pushing a really false choice to say you’re either in favour of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away. I’m in favour of the Second Amendment, and I’m in favour of assault weapons bans, universal background checks, red flag laws,” she said.

Winfrey asked Harris about her statements that she was a gunowner.

“If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot. I probably should not have said that. My staff will deal with that later,” she said.

Harris’ campaign hoped the event would have the same impact of Winfrey’s talk show, which drove bestseller lists and allowed celebrities to share their softer side and everyday people to share stories of struggle and inspiration.

It came as Harris worked to continue to share her biography and governing philosophy with American voters during her abbreviated presidential campaign, with early voting already underway in some states.

Harris has limited her interactions with the traditional media, instead prioritising digital engagement and casual – and often more controlled – moments that her campaign hopes will reach voters who increasingly get their news from digital sources.

“I want to bring my daughters to the White House to meet this black woman president,” comedian Chris Rock said.

The event was meant as a unifying event of Harris supporter groups that spun off organically after a “Black Women for Harris” call drew tens of thousands of viewers – and raised $US1.5 million ($A2.2 million) – in the hours after Harris took over as the Democratic candidate from President Joe Biden after he ended his campaign in July. They included “White Dudes for Harris” (which has already reportedly rolled out $10 million in campaign ads), “Comedians for Harris” and “Swifties for Harris”.

The campaign said Harris and Winfrey would make a direct call to action to viewers to volunteer for Harris’ campaign and to make calls and knock on doors for the Democrat.

Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump spoke to Jewish donors and an organisation gathered to focus on efforts to fight antisemitism hours after an explosive CNN report detailed how one of his allies running for North Carolina governor made racial and sexual comments on a website where he also referred to himself as a “black Nazi”.

North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday (US time) to remain in the race despite the report. The Trump campaign appeared to be distancing itself from him, while still calling the battleground state a vital part to winning back the White House.

Trump has frequently voiced his support for Robinson, who has been considered a rising star among Republicans. He did not comment on the allegations during his speech.

Trump also has been criticised for his association with extremists who spew antisemitic rhetoric such as far-right activist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

And when former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke endorsed Trump in 2016, Trump responded in a CNN interview that he knew “nothing about David Duke, I know nothing about white supremacists”.

-with AAP