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Navigating Politics: An Inside Look at Harris Ally Senator Laphonza Butler’s Views on Biden’s Broken Promise

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Discussing Politics

A supporter of Kamala Harris accuses Joe Biden of not keeping his word.

An interview with Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, in her last week in the Senate.

Authored by Lisa Lerer

Despite serving as a senator from California for a short period of about 15 months, Laphonza Butler has been a loyal supporter and ally of Vice President Kamala Harris for a remarkable 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 gives her a unique viewpoint on why her party lost the presidential election and how they can work on rebuilding.

Harris has not spoken much about the reasons for her loss. Butler believes that part of the blame lies with President Biden for breaking a clear campaign promise by running for re-election. However, simply pointing fingers at Biden is not sufficient. According to Butler, Democrats need to shift their focus from talking to listening actively and attentively.

Governor Gavin Newsom selected Butler to take over the vacant U.S. Senate seat following Senator Dianne Feinstein’s passing 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 be inaugurated as the new senator representing the state.

The interview was condensed and revised to make it more concise and easier

LL is asking for the reason behind Harris’ loss.

LB: The public in America desired a shift in leadership. They were looking for a candidate who they believed embodied change. I believe that is the main reason for the election outcome.

Was it a mistake for Biden to enter the

President Biden originally stated that he would be a transitional leader, which was the expectation people had. So, it would have been beneficial for him to stick to that plan. While we cannot overlook the accomplishments of his presidency, it is likely to be remembered as one of the most significant in my lifetime. However, once expectations are set, it is important to follow through on them.

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