Prom
Discussing Politics
In a recent interview, Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, spoke about Joe Biden allegedly failing to keep a promise to a Harris ally. The interview took place in Senator Butler’s last week in office.
Written by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has been a senator in California for approximately 15 months, yet she has been a strong supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris for 15 years.
During the week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been in a long-term partnership with Harris. They first crossed paths when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This partnership provides Butler with a unique viewpoint on why their party lost the presidential election and what steps can be taken to rebuild it.
Harris has not spoken much about the reasons for her loss. According to Butler, part of the blame lies with President Biden, who she thinks went back on his promise by running for re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not sufficient. Democrats need to shift from talking to actively listening, according to her.
Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the U.S. Senate position that was vacant after the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein 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 newest senator from the state.
The interview was shortened and made clearer for easier understanding.
LL: What is your opinion on why Harris was unsuccessful in the
LB: The citizens of America desired a shift in leadership. They were looking for a candidate who they believed symbolized change. And that could be the main reason for the outcome.
Was it a mistake for Biden to run for
When President Biden first took office, he mentioned that he would be a transitional leader, which was what people were expecting. It might have been better if he had continued in that role. Although his presidency has been successful, with a significant impact, it is important to stick to the expectations set at the beginning.
We are currently experiencing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.
To use this website, make sure JavaScript is turned on in
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please close it and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all content from The Times.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access.
Are you currently a member? Please sign in.
Interested in accessing all of The Times content? Subscribe now.
Prom
Page Directory
Navigation for Information on the Site