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Discussing Politics
An associate of Harris claims that Biden did not keep his word, as revealed in an interview with Senator Laphonza Butler from California, as she wraps up her last week in the Senate.
Written by Lisa Lerer
Laphonza Butler has only been a senator in California for approximately 15 months, but 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 had a long collaboration with Harris. They first met when Butler was a union leader in Los Angeles. This partnership gives Butler a unique viewpoint on why their party lost the presidential election and how they can potentially reconstruct and move forward.
Harris has not publicly discussed the reasons for her loss. Butler believes that President Biden is partly to blame, as she thinks he went back on his promise by running for re-election. However, Butler asserts that simply blaming Biden is not sufficient; Democrats need to stop speaking and instead focus on truly listening to others.
Governor Gavin Newsom chose Butler to take over the U.S. Senate position that became vacant after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in September 2023. Since Feinstein opted not to seek re-election, this week marks her final days in the Senate. On Monday, Representative Adam Schiff will be inaugurated as California’s latest senator.
The interview was condensed and clarified for easier reading.
LL: What is your opinion on the reasons for Harris’s defeat
LB believes that the American people desired a change and were looking for a candidate who they believed could bring about that change. This may have been the main reason for their choice.
Is it possible that Biden should not have entered
At first, President Biden stated that he would serve as a transitional leader, which was the expectation of many people. It would have been better for him to stick to that role. Despite the success of his presidency, it will be remembered as one of the most significant in my lifetime. When you set certain expectations with people, it’s important to follow through on them.
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