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Discussing Politics
An interview with Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, towards the end of her term in the Senate, where she discusses a promise that Biden allegedly broke according to a Harris ally.
Written by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has been a senator representing California for a short period of time, approximately 15 months. However, she has been a strong supporter and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris for 15 years.
This week, I interviewed Butler, who has been working closely with Harris for a long time. They first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. Butler’s insights provide an interesting viewpoint on why her party lost the presidential election and how they can work towards rebuilding.
Harris has not spoken much about the reasons for her loss in public. According to Butler, some of the responsibility lies with President Biden, who she thinks went back on a campaign promise by running for re-election. However, simply blaming Biden is not sufficient. Democrats, she argues, need to stop speaking and begin to truly listen to others.
Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Butler to take over the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. As Feinstein chose not to seek re-election, this week marks her final days in office. On Monday, Representative Adam Schiff will be inaugurated as California’s newest senator.
The interview was shortened and made clearer through editing.
LL asked the reason for Harris’ loss.
Many Americans desired a change and were looking for a candidate who they believed embodied that change. It seems that was the main factor driving their decision.
Is it possible that Biden should not have decided
At first, President Biden indicated that he would be a temporary leader, which was what people were anticipating. It may have been better for him to stick to that plan. His presidency has been successful, and it will likely be remembered as one of the most significant in history. However, when you set certain expectations, it is important to follow through with them.
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