Kamala Harris Regrets Not Challenging Biden’s Run/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Kamala Harris revealed she regrets not urging President Biden to step aside before the 2024 election. In a candid interview and memoir, she described his campaign struggles and the risks of silence. Harris also discussed Trump, her future, and Pete Buttigieg’s exclusion from her ticket.
Harris on Biden’s 2024 Run Quick Looks
- Kamala Harris regrets not advising Biden against seeking reelection in 2024.
- She reflects on the pressure to remain silent due to concerns of appearing self-serving.
- Harris’s memoir 107 Days details her transition into the 2024 Democratic nominee.
- She describes Biden’s declining public performance and physical frailty during the campaign.
- Harris criticizes Trump as behaving like “a tyrant” and rebukes silent business leaders.
- She reveals Pete Buttigieg was her first VP choice but feared voter backlash.
- Harris has not ruled out future political bids but says 2028 is not her focus.
- She supports aggressive redistricting tactics to counter GOP efforts in key states.
Deep Look:
Kamala Harris Regrets Not Urging Biden to Step Aside: ‘I Had a Responsibility’
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Kamala Harris, in her most candid remarks since the 2024 presidential election, expressed regret for not confronting then-President Joe Biden about concerns over his reelection bid. In a live interview Monday night and in her new book 107 Days, Harris revealed she felt a duty to speak up but ultimately chose not to — a decision she now calls “recklessness.”
“I have and had a certain responsibility that I should have followed through on,” Harris told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow during her first live television interview since the election loss to Donald Trump.
While Harris’ revelations are striking, they underscore the tension she faced as a loyal vice president versus a politician aware of growing national unease about Biden’s age. The former president faced mounting skepticism from voters about his ability to serve a second term, which was exacerbated by a poor debate performance and visible signs of aging.
A Crisis of Loyalty and Leadership
Although Biden’s decision to run was ultimately his and First Lady Jill Biden’s, Harris admitted that more voices should have intervened. In her book, she wrote:
“Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego or ambition.”
In her interview, Harris took accountability for her own silence.
“When I talk about the recklessness, as much as anything, I’m talking about myself,” she said.
The former vice president also explained that she feared any opposition from her would be perceived as self-serving, given her own ambitions and past rivalry with Biden during the 2020 primaries. Still, she admits that concern may have been misplaced in light of the consequences.
Concerns About Biden’s Campaign
Though she clarified that she never doubted Biden’s ability to govern, Harris noted serious issues with his ability to campaign.
“His voice was no longer strong, his verbal stumbles more frequent,” she wrote, recalling the behind-the-scenes deliberations. She described how campaign plans were already shifting toward a more stationary role for Biden, while she would do more travel and public appearances.
She also recalled Biden’s frailty after a key debate against Trump, saying, “He felt so frail.” Within a week of that debate, Biden would withdraw from the race, clearing the path for Harris to become the Democratic nominee.
Despite taking over the ticket, Harris ultimately lost the election to Trump.
Future Political Plans?
Now 60 and approaching her 61st birthday, Harris has not committed to running in 2028 and recently declined to pursue the California governorship. “That’s not my focus right now,” she told Maddow when asked about future presidential ambitions.
She did, however, emphasize the need for Democrats to push back harder against GOP tactics — including redistricting. Harris endorsed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s move to redraw congressional maps to counteract Republican-led gerrymandering efforts in states like Texas.
“We tend to play by the rules,” Harris said. “But I think this is a moment where you got to fight fire with fire.”
On Trump and Corporate Silence
Harris didn’t mince words when it came to Donald Trump, describing him as acting like “a tyrant” and comparing his conduct to “Communist dictators.” She warned that Trump’s behavior and leadership style present a serious threat to democratic norms.
She also criticized corporate leaders for remaining silent amid political instability.
“These titans of industry are not speaking up,” she said, suggesting that business leaders are too often complicit through inaction.
Buttigieg and the 2024 VP Decision
One of the more emotional moments in her book — and echoed in the interview — centered on Harris’s choice of a running mate. She revealed that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was her top choice but ultimately excluded him from the ticket.
“It wasn’t about any prejudice on my part,” Harris explained. “But we had such a short period of time, and the stakes were so high.”
She feared a ticket featuring a Black woman and a gay man would be too risky in such a critical election.
“It made me very sad, but I also realized it would be a real risk,” she said, acknowledging, “Maybe I was being too cautious.”
Buttigieg told Politico he was “surprised” by the book’s remarks but added, “I believe in giving Americans more credit.”
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