8 views 3 mins 0 comments

Breaking Promises: A Harris Ally Discusses Biden, Politics, and the Future of the Democratic Party

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

Prom

Bulletin

Discussion on Political Matters

A supporter of Kamala Harris claims that Joe Biden did not keep a promise he made. Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, was interviewed during her last week serving in the Senate.

Written by Lisa Lerer

Laphonza Butler has been in the position of senator for California for approximately 15 months. However, she has maintained a strong partnership with Vice President Kamala Harris for 15 years.

This week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has a longstanding partnership with Harris. They initially met when Butler was a union leader based in Los Angeles. This partnership provides her with a unique insight into why her party lost the presidential election and strategies for rebuilding.

Harris has not spoken much about the reasons for her loss. According to Butler, part of the blame lies with President Biden for breaking his campaign promise by running for re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not sufficient. Democrats need to stop talking and start truly listening to address the issue.

Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Butler to take over the U.S. Senate position that became vacant after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. Since Feinstein chose not to seek re-election, this week marks her final days in office. On Monday, Representative Adam Schiff will officially become the state’s latest senator.

The interview was shortened and made clearer for easier understanding.

LL: What is your opinion on the reasons for Harris’s defeat

Many Americans desired a shift in leadership and were looking for a candidate who embodied the idea of change. This was likely a significant factor in their decision-making process.

Should Biden have decided not to run for office

At first, President Biden indicated that he would be a transitional leader, which was the expectation people had. It might have been better for him to stick to that role. Despite the success of his presidency, it will be remembered as one of the most impactful in my lifetime. However, when you set expectations with people, it is important to follow through on them.

We are experiencing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.

Kindly activate JavaScript in your browser’s settings.

We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please exit and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all of The Times content.

We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access.

Have you already signed up as a member? Please log in

Interested in getting access to all of The Times content? Become a

Prom

Index of Website

Navigation Information on Website