Prom
Discussing politics, a supporter of Kamala Harris claimed that Joe Biden failed to keep a promise. Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, gave an interview during her last week in the Senate.
Written by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has only been a senator in California for a short time, approximately 15 months. However, she has been a strong supporter and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris for a decade and a half.
This week, I had a conversation with Butler, who has been in a long-term partnership with Harris since they first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This gives her a unique insight into why their party lost the presidential election and how they can work towards rebuilding it.
Harris has not publicly discussed the reasons for her loss. According to Butler, part of the blame lies with President Biden for breaking a campaign promise by seeking re-election. However, she emphasizes that simply blaming Biden is not sufficient; Democrats need to shift from talking to actively listening and taking action.
Governor Gavin Newsom selected Butler to take over the U.S. Senate seat that became vacant after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. Since Feinstein chose not to seek re-election, this week marks her final days in the Senate. On Monday, Representative Adam Schiff will officially become the newest senator representing the state.
This interview was shortened and made clearer for ease of understanding.
LL is asking for the reasons behind Harris’ loss.
LB: The American public desired a shift in leadership. They were looking for a candidate that they believed embodied change. And that may be the main reason for the outcome.
Was it a mistake for Biden to run for
When he first became president, Biden indicated that he would only serve temporarily. This was what people were anticipating. Therefore, it might have been more beneficial for him to stick to that plan. Despite this, it is undeniable that his presidency has been successful. Looking back in the future, his time in office will be remembered as one of the most influential in my lifetime. However, once you set certain expectations with the public, it is important to follow through with them.
We are experiencing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.
Make sure to turn on JavaScript in your browser settings.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please close out and sign in to your Times account or consider subscribing to access all of The Times content.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access.
Are you already a member? Sign in.
Interested in accessing all of The Times’ content? Sign up for
Prom
Index of the website
Navigation to find information on