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Discussing Politics
In an interview with Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, it was revealed that Biden had failed to keep a promise according to a Harris ally. This interview took place in Butler’s last week serving in the Senate.
Authored by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has only 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 decade and a half.
Earlier this week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been in a long-term partnership with Harris. They first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. Butler’s unique perspective sheds light on why her party lost the presidential election and offers insight on how it can regroup and move forward.
Harris has not publicly discussed the reasons for her loss. According to Butler, part of the blame can be placed on President Biden, who she feels went back on a clear campaign promise by seeking re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not the solution. Democrats need to shift from talking to actively listening, according to Butler.
Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the U.S. Senate seat following the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein in September 2023. Feinstein chose not to seek re-election, so this week marks her final days in office. Representative Adam Schiff will be officially becoming the state’s latest senator on Monday.
The interview was shortened and made clearer by editing.
LL: What is your opinion on why Harris did not win?
LB: The people in America were looking for something different. They were looking for a candidate they believed would bring about change. And that could be the reason.
Is it possible that Biden should not have run
When President Biden first took office, he indicated that he would only serve as a transitional leader. This was what people were expecting, so it may have been better for him to stick to that plan. Despite this, we cannot overlook the successes of his presidency. In the future, his time in office will likely be seen as one of the most influential in my lifetime. However, once you set certain expectations with people, it is important to follow through on them.
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