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Breaking Promises: A Harris Ally’s Perspective on Politics and the Biden Administration

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Bulletin

Discussing Politics

A supporter of Kamala Harris claims that Joe Biden did not keep a promise during an interview with Senator Laphonza Butler, who is a member of the Democratic Party from California, in 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. Despite her brief time in office, she has been a trusted supporter and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris for 15 years.

During the week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been working closely with Harris for a long time since they first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This partnership provides Butler with a unique viewpoint on why their political party lost the presidential election and what steps can be taken to regain strength.

Harris has not shared many details publicly about the reasons for her loss. According to Butler, part of the blame lies with President Biden, who she feels went back on a clear campaign pledge by running for re-election. However, solely pointing fingers at Biden is not sufficient. Democrats need to shift their focus from talking to truly listening, according to Butler.

Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the vacant U.S. Senate seat after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. Feinstein chose not to seek re-election, so this week will be her final one in the Senate. Representative Adam Schiff will be officially inaugurated as California’s newest senator on Monday.

The interview was condensed and made clearer for easier understanding.

LL: What is your opinion on why Harris did not win?

The public in America desired a shift in leadership and were seeking a candidate who they believed embodied this change. This likely played a significant role in the outcome of the election.

Was it a mistake for Biden to run for

When President Biden first took office, he indicated that he would only serve as a transitional leader. Many people believed this would be the case. It might have been better for him to stick to that plan. Despite this, we cannot ignore the accomplishments of his presidency. When future generations assess his time in office, it will undoubtedly be seen as one of the most significant in my lifetime. However, it is important to uphold the expectations set with the public.

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