Senior leadership of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has cited insufficient time as the primary reason for her failed bid against President-elect Donald Trump, highlighting intense political opposition in the 107-day period since President Joe Biden’s withdrawal.
During his appearance on the “Pod Save America” podcast Tuesday, Harris’ campaign officials defended his strategic choices in the final stages of the campaign, which were analyzed afterward. They addressed his approach to Republican voters, maintaining alignment with Biden, his non-response to Trump’s criticism of transgender policies, and his unsuccessful attempt to secure a Joe Rogan podcast appearance.
“In a 107-day race, it’s very difficult to do everything you normally do in a year and a half, two years,” said campaign senior adviser Jane O’Malley Dillon.
“There was a price to pay for the short campaign,” noted David Plouffe, another senior adviser.
The reflections emerged ahead of Harris’ scheduled conference call with supporters, as the party begins its analysis. Trump won them all Swing States and increased support among traditionally Democratic constituencies, including young voters and voters of color.
The campaign team accepted the election results, telling O’Malley Dillon bluntly, “We lost.”
During podcast interviews with former Democratic operatives, the advisers did not identify any strategic mistakes. They suggested that the brief campaign period and widespread anti-incumbency sentiment left Harris with limited options. They acknowledged the effectiveness of Trump’s campaign tactics.
The team specifically discussed Trump’s final announcement that focused on Harris’ stance supporting state-funded sex reassignment surgery for transgender inmates.
“Obviously, it was a very effective ad in the end. I think it put her out of touch,” admitted deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks.
Despite testing various counter-advertisements, the team ultimately chose not to respond directly. O’Malley Dillon commented, “There are no easy answers.
Plouffe called the anti-“bidenomics” ad more influential but recognized the importance of the transgender issue.
“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. That was part of what the administration did, right?”
The team revealed that Harrison was interested in appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast despite the host’s eventual Trump endorsement.
