Former Vice President Kamala Harris expressed regret about not personally confronting President Joe Biden regarding his decision to run for reelection during an interview on “Good Morning America.”
During her conversation with co-anchor Michael Strahan, Harris described her decision to avoid raising concerns as “reckless.”
Reflecting on her choice, she admitted, “Yes, and I, and I actually have reflected on that, and I’ve written about that.” Strahan followed up by asking if she thought it would have made a difference if she had voiced her feelings.
“I don’t know,” Harris replied. “I can only take responsibility for myself and on reflection, you know, and I talk about it in the context of asking a question of myself, ‘was that grace to not bring it up to him, or was it reckless?'”
Harris ultimately concluded that it was indeed reckless not to discuss her concerns with Biden.
“What was going through my head to not bring it up was that it would come off as being very self-serving,” she explained, admitting that the notion made her hesitant to address the issue.
However, she emphasized that her concerns regarding Biden’s reelection were separate from her respect for his capabilities as a president, stating, “my admiration and knowledge about his capacity to serve as president United States, which was consistent and never wavered.”
In a follow-up appearance on “The View,” Harris delved deeper into her personal struggles during her campaign, revealing that she experienced profound grief following her election loss, comparable to her emotional pain when her mother passed away in 2009.
“That night, I grieved in a way that I have not since my mother died,” said Harris, stirring a significant reaction from the audience with her revelation.
Reflecting on her campaign, she noted a pivotal moment during a previous interview where she struggled to articulate the differences between herself and Biden, which she later recognized became emblematic of her broader challenges during the campaign.
“That day in that interview, for me, really was symbolic of the issue. It was not — it did not create the issue, but it was symbolic of the issue, which is that I am a loyal person,” Harris remarked, acknowledging that her unwavering support may have obscured her distinct policy positions.
She admitted that although she believed her campaign messaging spoke for itself, she failed to acknowledge the extent to which voters yearned to understand her differences from Biden amid a backdrop of declining popularity for the president.
When co-host Sunny Hostin asked if her struggle to define her position had any bearing on the election outcome, Harris replied bluntly, “No,” prompting laughter and camaraderie from the panel.
Addressing questions regarding race and gender dynamics, co-host Joy Behar asked Harris if America would elect a woman in her lifetime, to which Harris responded, “I believe that we will.”
She detailed her unique experiences as the first or second woman of color in each of her political roles but avoided focusing solely on her race or gender as campaign focal points.
“I’ve never run as a woman or as a person of color because I believe I’m the best to do the job,” she affirmed.
Looking ahead, Harris highlighted the need for the Democratic Party to shift its focus toward meeting the immediate needs of Americans rather than prioritizing long-term projects, such as infrastructure.
“I think there’s some work to be done, which includes one of the things that I think the ’24 election made very clear, is the American people want their immediate needs met,” she stated, stressing the importance of recognizing citizens’ pressing concerns.
Harris suggested that certain legislative approaches, particularly surrounding spending bills, should have been revisited to reflect these immediate demands.
“If we had done it differently, and I think we should have considered doing it differently, we would have instead, in the Build Back Better bill, put the family plan before we did that,” she pointed out, calling for a reevaluation of how the party addresses voters’ needs in the future.
Harris’s reflections on her political journey offer insights into the complexities of her experiences and the lessons learned as a member of the Biden administration and as a candidate vying for public support in a challenging political landscape.
As the 2024 race gains momentum, her candid acknowledgment of past missteps might resonate with a party seeking to connect more directly with the electorate.
With her positions on vital issues and her personal narrative at the forefront, Harris aims to carve out a path that addresses the immediate concerns of American voters while navigating the intricate dynamics of race, gender, and loyalty in politics.
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