Former Vice President Kamala Harris provided a spirited protection of her quick, unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid, lamented the lack of voters’ religion in establishments and urged Democrats to not change into dispirited on Monday as she spoke on the first hometown celebration of her new guide about her roller-coaster marketing campaign.
She appeared to take little duty for her loss to President Trump in 2024 whereas addressing a fawning crowd of two,000 individuals at The Wiltern in Los Angeles.
“I wrote the guide for a lot of causes, however primarily to remind us how unprecedented that election was,” Harris mentioned about “107 Days,” her political memoir that was launched final week. “Give it some thought. A sitting president of the USA is working for reelection and three and a half months earlier than the election decides to not run, after which a sitting vp takes up the mantle to run in opposition to a former president of the USA who has been working for 10 years, with 107 days to go.”
She dismissed Trump’s claims that his 2024 victory was so overwhelming that it was a transparent mandate by the voters
“And by the best way, can historical past replicate on the truth that it was the closest presidential election?” Harris mentioned, standing from her seat on the stage, because the viewers cheered. “It can be crucial for us to recollect in order that we that know the place we’ve been to resolve and chart the place we’re.”
Trump beat Harris by greater than 2.3 million votes — about 1.5% of the favored vote — however the Republican swept the electoral school vote, profitable 312-226. Different presidential contests have been tighter, notably the 2000 contest between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore. Gore gained the favored vote by almost 544,000 votes however Bush gained the electoral school vote 271-266 in a deeply contentious election that reached the U.S. Supreme Court docket.
Harris, faulted for failing to attach with voters about their financial ache in battleground states within the Midwest and Southwest, criticized former President Biden about his administration’s priorities. She mentioned she would have addressed kitchen desk points earlier than laws about infrastructure and semiconductor manufacturing.
“I might have completed the household piece first, which is inexpensive childcare, paid depart, extension of the kid tax credit score,” she mentioned, fundamental points dealing with People who “want to only get by as we speak.”
Harris spoke about her guide in dialog with Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan, the hosts of the “I’ve Had It” podcast and former solid members of the Bravo collection “Candy Dwelling Oklahoma.”
Attendees paid as much as lots of or 1000’s of {dollars} on the resale marketplace for tickets to attend the occasion, a part of a multi-city guide tour that started final week in New York Metropolis. The East Coast occasion was disrupted by protesters about Israeli actions in Gaza. Harris is touring throughout the nation and abroad selling her guide.
The previous vp’s guide tour is count on to be a giant cash maker.
Harris’ writer lately added one other “107 Days” occasion at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Oct. 28.
The Bay Space native touched upon present information occasions throughout her look, which lasted shortly over an hour.
In regards to the impending federal authorities shutdown, Harris mentioned Democrats have to be clear that the fault lies squarely with Republicans as a result of they management the White Home, the Senate and the Home of Representatives.
“They’re in energy,” she mentioned, arguing that her celebration should stand agency in opposition to efforts to chop entry to healthcare, notably the Reasonably priced Care Act.
She additionally ripped into Trump for his social media put up of a pretend AI-generated video of Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries. The video purports to point out Schumer saying that Latino and Black voters hate Democrats, so the celebration should present undocumented residents free healthcare in order that they help the celebration till they study English and “notice they hate us too.” Jeffries seems to put on a sombrero as mariachi music performs within the background.
“It’s juvenile,” Harris mentioned. Trump is “only a man who’s unbalanced, he’s incompetent and he’s unhinged.”
Harris didn’t contact on the problems she wrote in her guide that precipitated consternation amongst Democrats, reminiscent of not deciding on former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to be her working mate as a result of she didn’t imagine People had been able to help a presidential ticket with a biracial lady and a homosexual man. She additionally didn’t point out her recounting of reaching out to Gov. Gavin Newsom after Biden determined to not search reelection, and him not responding to her past saying he was out hikinG.
Harris lamented civic and company leaders caving to calls for from the Trump administration.
Amongst these Trump focused had been legislation corporations that did work for his perceived enemies.
“I predicted nearly every little thing,” she mentioned. “What I didn’t predict was the capitulation of universities, legislation corporations, media firms be they tv or newspapers. I didn’t predict that.”
She mentioned that whereas she labored in public service all through her profession, her interactions with leaders within the personal sector led her to imagine that they might be “among the many guardians of our democracy.”
“I’ve been upset, deeply deeply upset by people who find themselves highly effective who’re bending the knee on the foot of this tyrant,” Harris mentioned.
Harris didn’t point out that her husband, Doug Emhoff, is a associate on the legislation agency Willkie Farr & Gallagher that earlier this yr that reached an settlement with the White Home to supply at the least $100 million in professional bono authorized work in the course of the Republican’s time within the White Home and past.
In April, the agency reached an settlement with the Trump administration, with the president saying their companies could be devoted to serving to veterans, Gold Star households, legislation enforcement members and first responders, and that the legislation agency agreed to fight antisemitism and never interact in “DEI” efforts.
Emhoff, who joined the legislation agency in January and likewise is now on the has school at USC , has condemned his legislation agency’s settlement with the administration.
Emhoff, who was in attendance on the occasion and posing for photos with Harris supporters, declined remark concerning the occasion.
“I’m simply right here to help my spouse,” he mentioned.
