Trump’s call after assassination attempt, gay running mate dilemma, and future plans: What Kamala Harris reveals in book ‘107 Days’
By Martin Shwenk Leade
Copyright indiatimes
APFormer Vice President Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is pulling back the curtain on her turbulent 2024 presidential campaign in her upcoming memoir 107 Days, set to hit shelves soon. The book captures Harris’s raw emotions after losing the election to Donald Trump, her frustrations with former President Joe Biden’s campaign strategy, and surprising private exchanges with Trump himself.Life After the LossHarris recalls the emotional aftermath of Election Night, when an aide quietly peeled “Madame President” off celebratory cupcakes before serving them to tearful staffers. “My God, my God, what will happen to our country?” she remembers asking.The next morning was even harder. “I was ashamed to realize I was in the denial and bargaining stages of grief, a very long way from acceptance,” Harris writes.On Joe Biden and His CampaignHarris defends Biden’s fitness for office, insisting she never doubted his ability to serve. But she acknowledges that by 81, “Joe got tired,” and his age began to show during campaign appearances.She criticizes Biden’s inner circle for pushing him into the race despite his struggles. “As soon as he walked onto the debate stage in Atlanta, I could see he wasn’t right,” she writes, adding that campaign aides insisted on telling voters “JOE BIDEN WON,” even when it was clear the debate had been damaging.Live EventsWhile Harris writes warmly about her partnership with Biden, tensions flared at times. At a Fourth of July event, First Lady Jill Biden privately asked Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff whether they were still “supporting” the president. Later, as Harris prepared for her own debate with Trump, Biden phoned her — reportedly to complain about gossip he’d heard — just minutes before she went on stage. “I just couldn’t understand why he would call me, right now, and make it all about himself,” Harris recalls.MistakesHarris also takes responsibility for mistakes, including a disastrous appearance on The View. When asked what she would have done differently than Biden, she froze and replied, “There is not a thing that comes to mind.”“I had no idea I’d just pulled the pin on a hand grenade,” she writes, acknowledging that the comment became a major boost for Trump’s campaign.Choosing a Running MateHarris reveals that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was her first choice for vice president but feared it was “too big of a risk” to ask voters to accept both a Black woman president and a gay running mate.She ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, though she was disappointed by his debate performance against JD Vance. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was also considered but dismissed over concerns about his willingness to play second fiddle.Trump’s Phone CallOne of the most revealing sections of 107 Days describes Harris’s private conversations with Donald Trump.After an assassination attempt against Trump at his Florida golf club, Harris personally requested a call with him. Instead of hostility, she found Trump surprisingly warm.“You’ve done a great job, you really have,” Trump told her. “My only problem is it makes it very hard for me to be angry at you.”He even promised to “tone it down” on the campaign trail and praised her husband, Doug Emhoff, calling Ivanka Trump a “big fan.” Harris, however, writes that she did not buy into the charm offensive. “He’s a con man. He’s really good at it,” she writes.Harris also recounts her concession call to Trump — a courtesy Biden never received in 2020. Trump struck a gracious tone, even pronouncing her name correctly for the first time. “You are a tough, smart customer,” he told her. “And I say that with great respect.”A Look AheadWhile Harris does not explicitly state her 2028 plans, the book is laced with reflections on lessons learned and hints that her political journey may not be over.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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