Kamala Harris Reflects on Election Loss and New Book
In a recent event celebrating her new book, Kamala Harris, former Vice President, expressed her disappointment over the erosion of voter trust in the political system. Speaking to a lively crowd of around 2,000 in Los Angeles, she reminisced about her unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign against President Trump.
“I wrote this book for various reasons, but primarily to highlight how unprecedented that election was,” Harris explained, referring to her memoir “107 Days,” unveiled just last week. “Consider this: three and a half months ago, before the sitting president declared his candidacy for re-election, the Vice President was stepping in to challenge a former president who had been campaigning for nearly a decade.”
She dismissed Trump’s assertion that his victory reflected a clear mandate from voters, following his win by more than 2.3 million votes—a margin of about 1.5% in the popular vote—while Republicans triumphed in the Electoral College, 312-226. Harris drew parallels to past contentious elections, such as the 2000 showdown between George W. Bush and Al Gore, where the winner lost the popular vote.
Many see Harris’s inability to connect with voters in critical battleground states as a key issue, with former President Biden even critiquing the administration’s priorities. She mentioned addressing essential topics like affordable childcare and paid family leave before focusing on infrastructure and manufacturing.
“I would have been one of the first to push for affordable family policies,” she noted.
During her discussion, she was joined by podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan, where they shared insights about her book. The ticket prices for this multi-city book tour varied significantly, with some attendees paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars to be part of the event, which began last week in New York.
The Bay Area native also touched on current events, particularly the looming federal shutdown, emphasizing the challenges Republicans face now that they control the White House, Senate, and House. “They’re in power,” she stated, highlighting their responsibility in healthcare accessibility debates.
Harris also addressed fabricated videos targeting Democrats, including one featuring Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, depicted in exaggerated and misleading ways to claim Latino and Black voters dislike the party. “He’s an unbalanced individual,” Harris said of Trump, critiquing these misleading narratives.
While discussing her book, Harris avoided certain controversial topics, such as not selecting former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as her running mate or the lack of support for interracial and LGBTQ tickets. She refrained from mentioning her outreach to Governor Gavin Newsom when Biden opted not to run again.
Expressing frustration, Harris lamented the responsiveness of corporate leaders to Trump’s administration. She reflected on her career in public service, revealing her disillusionment with powerful figures who, in her view, faltered before what she termed a tyrant. “I didn’t expect such capitulation from media and educational nonprofits,” she remarked.
Interestingly, she did not mention her husband Doug Emhoff’s connection to a law firm that has engaged with the Trump administration on various initiatives. Emhoff, who has worked with that firm since January and also teaches at USC, attended the event but opted to stay out of the political discourse, simply stating, “I’m here to support my wife.”
