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Discussing Politics
A supporter of Kamala Harris claims that Joe Biden did not keep his word. A conversation with Senator Laphonza Butler, 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 representing California for around 15 months, during which time she has been a strong supporter and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris for 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. Through their collaboration, Butler has gained an interesting insight into the reasons behind her party’s loss in the presidential election and potential strategies for rebuilding.
Harris has not discussed much about the reasons for her loss in public. 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 the solution. Democrats need to shift from talking to actively listening and understanding.
Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the vacant U.S. Senate seat after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. Since Feinstein opted not to seek re-election, this week marks her final days in office. Representative Adam Schiff will be officially becoming the state’s latest senator when he is sworn in on Monday.
This interview underwent editing to make it concise and easier to understand.
LL is asking for the reason behind Harris’s loss.
LB: The citizens of America desired a shift. They were looking for a candidate that they believed symbolized change. And I believe that may be the main reason.
Was it a mistake for Biden to run for
At first, President Biden indicated that he would be a transitional leader, which was the expectation people had. It may have been better for him to stick to that plan. Despite this, his presidency has been successful and will likely be considered one of the most impactful in my lifetime when history reflects on it. However, once expectations are set, it is important to maintain them.
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