NEW YORK (Realist English). Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has released her memoir 107 Days through Simon & Schuster, recounting her short-lived 2024 presidential campaign and offering what many see as both a justification for her loss and an opening bid for the 2028 race.
The title refers to the 107 days Harris spent as the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Harris describes her first direct conversation with Biden on July 13, 2024, quoting him as saying he would support her candidacy if he withdrew. Harris writes that she was ready to step in but criticizes Biden and his inner circle for delaying the decision.
Throughout the book, Harris points fingers at prominent Democrats who, she says, hesitated to rally behind her — from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who did not take her call, to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who delayed public endorsements. She also outlines her rejection of potential running mates, citing ambition, lack of experience, or political optics.
Much of her frustration is directed at Biden’s advisers — Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Bruce Reed and Ron Klain — whom she accuses of undermining her candidacy out of loyalty to Biden rather than strategic considerations. Harris also criticises the U.S. media, noting that expected editorial endorsements from liberal outlets such as The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times never came, which she calls a “capitulation to Trump.”
Harris acknowledges her own missteps, including poor interviews, insufficient distance from Biden’s unpopular policies, and failure to counter attacks on her positions. She concedes that her cautious stance on the Gaza war cost her support among younger Democrats who demanded harsher condemnation of Israel. She also laments missed opportunities to reach new audiences, such as failing to secure an interview with podcast host Joe Rogan — an appearance Trump leveraged to his advantage.
The memoir portrays Biden as physically diminished but still sharp in private decision-making. Harris, however, suggests his entourage clung to power at the party’s expense.
Above all, 107 Days underscores that Harris intends to remain a political force. As The Washington Post observed, the book amounts to “a signal that the former vice president is leaving the door open for another presidential run in 2028.”
