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PunkinPi

(5,173 posts) Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:37 AM 19 hrs ago

Kamala Harris' book pinpoints one of Democrats' biggest problems

Harris, according to her book, took Team Biden’s barbs in stride because she understood how critical it was for Democrats to telegraph unity and shared purpose after four divisive years of Donald Trump. She might have hoped that her willingness to overlook all that political backbiting would be repaid with respect and support from Biden’s team after taking over Biden’s spot on the Democratic ticket in August 2024. That respect never came.

Instead, Biden loyalists piled blame onto Harris for the party’s 2024 losses just days after the election. They could have — would have — done it better, they recounted to journalist Franklin Foer. Whatever dignity Harris expected to earn from her grace, it’s clear she wildly misunderstood the intensity of political tribalism in Biden’s inner circle. Now, freed from her connection to her former colleague, Harris and her team are finally venting their frustrations.

...

Harris’ book and the testimonials of former staffers paint a picture of a vice president willing to suffer petty humiliations in order to maximize Democrats’ chances of beating Trump in 2024. Instead of embracing Harris’ proposals to increase the campaign’s engagement with Black communities, the Biden team egotistically dismissed them as efforts to promote her own brand over and above the boss.

...

Harris’ memoir is a cautionary tale about what happens when a president allows his senior staff to amass too much decision-making power. Time and again, Harris describes her personal relationship with Biden in positive terms, yet key campaign decisions seemed to be made by staffers who rarely or never consulted Biden directly. Perhaps had the former president been informed, he would have made different decisions.

Source - https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/kamala-harris-book-107-days-biden-election-democrats-rcna230450

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Please note, MVP Harris is not attacking President Biden and was a loyal VP to him. I'm glad she is speaking out on her own terms.

8 replies

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Kamala Harris' book pinpoints one of Democrats' biggest problems (Original Post) PunkinPi 19 hrs ago OP

I continue to think that Harris did the best she could under the circumstances, but that she was just never a very good tritsofme 19 hrs ago #1

I think that it was mostly because of circumstances that were not her fault. everyonematters 18 hrs ago #2

Aka blackmail, propaganda, etc Hornedfrog2000 18 hrs ago #3

I don't think that is an excuse for not giving ourselves the best chance to win an election. everyonematters 18 hrs ago #6

Biden/Harris was the primary ticket. A vote for Biden in the primary was also a vote for his VP in the primary. nt PunkinPi 18 hrs ago #4

Biden declining to run for reelection with enough time for a real primary tritsofme 18 hrs ago #5

We lost to a convicted felon that may destroy Democracy. samsingh 17 hrs ago #7

Another expose (accent acute over the e) book is not going to help. usonian 17 hrs ago #8

tritsofme

(19,505 posts)

1. I continue to think that Harris did the best she could under the circumstances, but that she was just never a very good

Reply to PunkinPi (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:44 AM

19 hrs ago

presidential candidate.

Team Biden might be correct in most of their assertions, but the fact remains that they picked her.

everyonematters

(3,922 posts)

2. I think that it was mostly because of circumstances that were not her fault.

Reply to tritsofme (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:59 AM

18 hrs ago

She was thrust into the position without winning the primary. Biden had an approval rating of 38%. A majority of the voters felt the administration had been derelict in protecting the border. There was the inflation problem, and we were running Biden's VP.

Hornedfrog2000

(866 posts)

3. Aka blackmail, propaganda, etc

Reply to everyonematters (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:08 AM

18 hrs ago

Won again. Until our side understands the main problem, all of this is just symptoms. We have half the population either not knowing, caring, or believing reality. That is the number one problem.

everyonematters

(3,922 posts)

6. I don't think that is an excuse for not giving ourselves the best chance to win an election.

Reply to Hornedfrog2000 (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:29 AM

18 hrs ago

We would have had a better chance with someone outside the administration.

PunkinPi

(5,173 posts)

4. Biden/Harris was the primary ticket. A vote for Biden in the primary was also a vote for his VP in the primary. nt

Reply to everyonematters (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:09 AM

18 hrs ago

tritsofme

(19,505 posts)

5. Biden declining to run for reelection with enough time for a real primary

Reply to everyonematters (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:27 AM

18 hrs ago

Would have increased our chances immensely.

samsingh

(18,160 posts)

7. We lost to a convicted felon that may destroy Democracy.

Reply to PunkinPi (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:14 AM

17 hrs ago

it's vital to understand how, we the good side, did not do everything imaginable to stop the election going to the republicans. We lost every branch of government in what was argued, rightly i believe, as the most crucial election of the century.

usonian

(20,313 posts)

8. Another expose (accent acute over the e) book is not going to help.

Reply to PunkinPi (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:53 AM

17 hrs ago

Why? (this is a repost)

1. The party leadership was and is, living under some rock. I''m all over this.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/13244015
A grassroots revolution is needed for the party to win.

2. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda are for losers. They don't help worth shit, unless they're used to learn enduring lessons.

3. And by the way, EVERYTHING CHANGES except human nature (which doesn't but could stand a tune-up).
So, what you read (or write) has about zero applicability to TODAY. Because:
The people are different.
The time is different.
The places are different, and
The circumstances are different.

There is no elder statesperson running that I know of.
We'd be fighting the previous war to think so.
And so on ad infinitum.

4. If you or anyone else made a misjudgment in the past. JUST FUCKING OWN IT, and don't let it drag on.
If you let a matter slide instead of making a bold move IN PERSON, too bad. That makes YOU the weak link, and why advertise it?

Give me a report on the present, because today is the culmination of everything in the past, enduring lessons, and a prescription and action plan.

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