Prom
Discussing Politics
In an interview with Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, it was revealed that a promise made by Biden was broken. This interview took place during her last week serving in the Senate.
Written by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has been a senator from California for a short period of around 15 months. However, she has been a strong supporter and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris for a long time, spanning 15 years.
This week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been in a long partnership with Harris since they first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This partnership gives Butler a unique viewpoint on the reasons behind her party’s loss in the presidential election and how they can work towards 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 a clear campaign promise by running for re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not sufficient. Democrats need to move beyond talking and focus on active listening.
Governor 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. Representative Adam Schiff will officially become the state’s new senator when he is sworn in on Monday.
This interview was shortened and made clearer by editing.
LL: What is your opinion on why Harris did not win?
Many Americans desired a shift in leadership and sought a candidate who they believed embodied that change. It seems that this desire for change ultimately drove their decision.
Is it possible that Biden should not have entered
At first, President Biden indicated that he would be a temporary leader. This was what people were expecting. Therefore, it might have been better for him to stick to that plan. It’s undeniable that his presidency has been successful. In the future, his time in office will likely be seen as highly influential in my lifetime. However, when you set certain expectations with people, it’s important to follow through on them.
We are currently experiencing difficulty in accessing the content of the article.
To use this website properly, make sure to turn on JavaScript
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 receiving all of The Times? Become a subscriber.
Prom
Page Directory
Navigation for Site Information