The senior leadership of US vice president Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has cited insufficient time as the primary reason for their unsuccessful bid against president-elect Donald Trump, highlighting intense political opposition during the 107-day period following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal.
During their appearance on “Pod Save America” podcast on Tuesday, Harris’ campaign executives defended their tactical choices in the final phase of the campaign, which have since drawn analysis. They addressed their approach to Republican voters, maintaining alignment with Biden, their non-response to Trump’s criticism of transgender policies, and the unsuccessful attempt to secure a Joe Rogan podcast appearance.
Campaign senior adviser Jen O’Malley Dillon said, “In a 107-day race, it is very difficult to do all the things you would normally do in a year and a half, two years.”
David Plouffe, another senior adviser, noted, “There was a price to be paid for the short campaign.”
These reflections emerged just before Harris’ scheduled conference call with supporters, as the party begins its analysis. Trump secured victories in all swing states and increased support among traditional Democratic constituencies, including young voters and voters of colour.
The campaign team accepted the election outcome, with O’Malley Dillon plainly stating, “We lost.”
During the podcast interview with former Democratic operatives, the advisers did not identify any strategic errors. They suggested that the brief campaign period and widespread anti-incumbent sentiment left Harris with limited options. They acknowledged the effectiveness of Trump’s campaign strategy.
The team specifically discussed Trump’s final advertisement that focused on Harris’ stance supporting state-funded sex reassignment surgeries for transgender inmates.
Deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks acknowledged, “Obviously, it was a very effective ad at the end. I think that it made her seem out of touch.”
Despite testing various counter-advertisements, the team ultimately chose not to respond directly. O’Malley Dillon remarked, “There’s no easy answers to this.
Plouffe considered the anti-“Bidenomics” advertisement more impactful but recognised the transgender issue’s significance.
“She was on tape,” he noted. “Surgery for trans people who want to transition in prison was part of the Biden-Harris platform in 2020. It was part of what the administration did, right?”
The team revealed that Harris had been interested in appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast, despite the host’s eventual Trump endorsement.
