Prom
Discussing Politics
A close associate of Kamala Harris claims that Joe Biden did not keep his word. Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, spoke in an interview during her last week in the Senate.
Authored by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has only been a senator from California for approximately 15 months, yet she has been a strong supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris for the past 15 years.
Recently, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been in a longstanding partnership with Harris since they first crossed paths when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This partnership provides Butler with a unique viewpoint on the reasons behind her party’s loss in the presidential election and the potential strategies for rebuilding.
Harris has not publicly discussed the reasons for her loss. Butler believes that President Biden is partially to blame, as he went back on his promise to not run for re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not the solution. Democrats need to prioritize listening and understanding the concerns of the people.
Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the U.S. Senate position that became vacant after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. After deciding not to seek re-election, this week marks Feinstein’s final days in the Senate. On Monday, Representative Adam Schiff will officially take on the role of California’s newest senator.
The interview was shortened and made clearer for ease of understanding.
LL asked the reason for Harris’s loss.
LB: The American citizens desired a shift in leadership. They were looking for a candidate who they believed embodied change. And I believe that could be the main reason for the outcome.
Is it possible that Biden should not have participated
President Biden initially stated that he would be a temporary leader, which was the expectation people had. It might have been better for him to stick to that plan. While we can acknowledge the success of his presidency, history will likely view it as one of the most influential in my lifetime. However, setting expectations with people means needing to follow through on them.
We are experiencing difficulties accessing the content of the article.
To use this website properly, make sure you have JavaScript enabled
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently using Reader mode, please close it 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.
Are you currently a member? Please sign in.
Interested in accessing all content from The Times? Sign up for a
Prom
Index of the Website
Navigation to Site Information