Kamala Harris was believed she had a real chance of becoming president. On election night in November, she was confident. But when the results came in, Kamala Harris was shocked. According to political reporter Amie Parnes, Harris was not ready to lose. She had “bought the hype,” meaning she trusted the good signs her team saw during the campaign. She was not alone. Many in her team also thought they would win.
Her running mate Tim Walz sat in silence after the results
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was Harris’s running mate. On election night, he sat quietly in a hotel room. He didn’t speak. His team tried to explain the results to him. He just sat there, stunned. Kamala Harris was also had questions. She asked if the numbers were right and wondered if there should be a recount. Kamala could not believe the loss was real. She thought the campaign was strong, just like many others around her.
Her team believed things were going well before the loss
People on the Harris campaign believed they were on the right track. They had large crowds at events and were raising more money than expected. They also had many volunteers working across the country. Campaign leaders told staff that things were looking good. This made everyone feel hopeful. Kamala Harris was trusted this view. She felt like the energy was on her side. She didn’t think she could lose.
After the loss, Harris blamed the timing and Biden
After the election, Kamala Harris was told her friends she needed more time. She believed that if the election had happened later, she could have won. She also felt things might have gone better if Joe Biden had stayed in the race longer. Biden dropped out in July. Harris entered the race after that. She thought she didn’t have enough time to get her message out. In her mind, these things were to blame.
Some of her friends disagreed with her opinion
Not everyone close to Harris agreed with her reasons for losing. One friend told reporters that blaming the timing was “crazy.” Another said that a shorter campaign actually helped. A campaign adviser said that time was not the real issue. “We needed more substance,” the adviser said. “And she didn’t have more substance.” In other words, they believed voters wanted stronger ideas, not more time.
Barack Obama didn’t believe Harris could win
Former President Barack Obama also had doubts about Harris. After Biden left the race, Obama didn’t give her his full support. He worked behind the scenes to find other options and wanted the party to hold a small primary or even an open convention. He didn’t think Harris could beat Donald Trump. Obama didn’t say this in public, but he took quiet steps to stop her from becoming the nominee. The book says he tried to help the party find someone else.
In the end, she lost and many were surprised
Kamala Harris was lost the 2024 election. Kamala Harris was surprised her. It surprised her team. They had trusted the signs that looked good. They believed they were winning. But they were wrong. Afterward, there was a lot of blame. Some said the campaign started too late. Others said it lacked strong ideas. Even Obama didn’t think she was the best choice. In the end, voters made their decision. And it left Harris and her team in shock.
