'I am not done' - Kamala Harris tells BBC she may run for US president again | BBC News

Key Concepts

• 107 Days Campaign: The period from when the speaker took over the presidential campaign to the election.
• Underestimating Public Dislike: The speaker's belief that the campaign underestimated the public's aversion to an 81-year-old candidate.
• President Biden's Withdrawal: The unexpected decision of President Biden not to run for re-election, leaving the speaker to take up the mantle with limited time.
• Capacity vs. Ability to Run: The distinction between being capable of being president and having the endurance and energy required to run a presidential campaign.
• Miss and Disinformation: The significant challenge posed by false and misleading information during the campaign.
• Electoral College: The system by which the US president is elected, which the speaker did not win despite receiving a large number of popular votes.
• Demographic Shifts: The observed trend of the Democratic party losing support among certain demographics over the past decade.
• Fascist Authoritarian Government: The speaker's characterization of Donald Trump's administration and its actions.
• Weaponization of the Department of Justice: The speaker's accusation that the DOJ was used for personal vengeance rather than based on fact and law.
• Capitulation of Titans of Industry: The speaker's criticism of business leaders who she believes have yielded to authoritarian tendencies.
• Foreign Leaders and Trump: The speaker's warning to foreign leaders about the risks of aligning too closely with Donald Trump.
• Gaza-Israel Conflict: The speaker's perspective on the efforts to resolve the conflict and the work that remains.
• Secret Service Protection: The removal of the speaker's Secret Service protection by the Trump administration.
• Future Political Aspirations: The speaker's indication that she is "not done" and that a future run for president is a possibility.
• Listening Tour: The speaker's current focus on listening to people across the country without a transactional agenda.

Campaign Reflections and Responsibilities

The speaker, in her book detailing the "roller coaster story of the 107 days of your campaign," acknowledges that "the buck stops with me in terms of my campaign." She takes "full responsibility for what I did" and uses the book to reflect on what she believed were strengths and what "could have been better." The campaign was unprecedented, with President Biden deciding not to run for re-election three and a half months before the election, leaving the sitting Vice President to run against a former president who had been campaigning for ten years. The speaker emphasizes that her voice needed to be present in the historical record of those 107 days, which turned out to be the closest presidential election in the 21st century.

Underestimating the Candidate and Time Constraints

A key point raised is the underestimation of the public's dislike of an 81-year-old running for president. The speaker states, "we needed more time. There's no question about that." She argues that President Biden's withdrawal should not have been a choice based on "an individual ego or an individual's ambition." She expresses concern about his ability to endure the demands of a presidential campaign, especially against the current president, noting a "very serious difference between capacity to be president of the United States and the capacity to run for president of the United States." She reflects on whether it was "grace or recklessness to not raise the point with him about whether it was right for him to run," clarifying that her question was never about his capacity to be president, but rather his ability to run for re-election given the campaign's requirements. She also notes that well-respected reporting uses phrases like "cover up" and discusses "widespread concerns" regarding the situation.

The Historical Context and Lack of Direct Conversation

The speaker highlights the importance of the historical context, noting months of speculation about President Biden's re-election bid. She finds it "extraordinary to read" that President Biden did not raise his frailty with her, and she did not raise it with him. She reiterates her concern about his ability to run for re-election, given the demands of campaigning while simultaneously serving as president. She reflects on whether having a conversation urging him not to run would have been "effective and productive" given her perceived self-interest. She also mentions that it took "other people's voices" and even George Clooney's article for the idea of pulling the plug to gain traction.

The Impact of Time and Campaign Challenges

The speaker is certain that "we needed more time" to run for president against a former president in the current political environment, which is characterized by "the vast amount of miss and disinformation." She believes 107 days were insufficient to introduce herself, articulate her policy positions on issues like child care, Medicare, affordable housing (including a $25,000 down credit for first-time home buyers), and addressing corporate price gouging, and to connect with the nation of 330 million people. She describes throwing herself and her "extraordinary team" into those 107 days, working around the clock.

Connecting with Voters and Demographic Trends

Despite having "massively successful rallies" and numerous celebrity endorsements, including Oprah Winfrey and Taylor Swift, the speaker addresses the challenge of not connecting with "ordinary voters" and the movement of Gen Z and Latinos towards Trump. She states, "I received 75 million votes from a variety of people," across geographic locations, race, gender, and age. However, she concedes that for "probably a decade, Democrats have been losing certain sectors of society," and acknowledges that "there's work that we need to get done." She reiterates her platform on issues like child care, Medicare, home health care, affordable housing, and combating price gouging, asserting that these issues "did connect with working people," but "clearly there was more work to be done" due to the limited time. She emphasizes the need to remind people that the Democratic party has historically stood for working people and to provide a contrast with the current administration's actions.

Concerns about Authoritarianism and Democracy

The speaker expresses profound concern about the state of the country, recalling her thought upon realizing she had lost: "My god, my god, what will happen to our country?" She reiterates her earlier statement that Donald Trump is running a "fascist authoritarian government," citing his alleged "weaponization of the Department of Justice" for personal vengeance. She points to his suggestion that the DOJ should give him millions due to a prosecution and investigation he "rightly deserved," and his attempts to shut down media organizations over criticism. She is critical of "many" billionaires and institutions that have "capitulated" and are "bending the knee at the foot of a tyrant," driven by a desire for proximity to power, mergers, or avoiding investigations. She laments the lack of support from "titans of industry" in maintaining "the guard rails around a democracy and democratic systems."

Foreign Policy and Middle East Peace Efforts

Regarding foreign leaders, the speaker questions the wisdom of inviting Donald Trump to the UK, suggesting a risk of foreign leaders being "played" by him. She maintains her belief that Trump "invites favor and flattery" and warns foreign leaders to "be careful what they wish for by getting too close." While acknowledging Trump's progress in the Middle East, she expresses happiness that hostages are out and credits Egypt, Qatar, and the current administration for their work. However, she stresses that "there's a whole lot more to do," particularly concerning the fragility of the ceasefire and the "plan for the day after," which includes security, governance, and rebuilding of Gaza.

Personal Safety and Future Ambitions

The speaker states she feels safe despite Donald Trump stripping her of Secret Service protection, attributing this to the work of "wonderful people" and her desire to solve problems. When asked about seeing a woman in charge in the White House in her nieces' lifetime, she responds, "In their lifetime for sure." When asked if it could be her, she says, "Possibly," but has "not made a decision yet." She is currently focused on her book tour and states, "I am not done." She describes her career as a "life of service" and is exploring "many ways to serve." She has been listening to people across the country, particularly in the South, and enjoyed this experience without a transactional agenda. She confirms that running for president again is a possibility, and while bookies might consider her an "outsider," she has "never listened to polls."

The Meaning of "Fighting" and Campaign Joy

The speaker clarifies her message to supporters at the end of the book: "If you fight, you win, but sometimes the fight takes a while." She states, "While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign." She also speaks about the "showbiz side of campaigning" and the joy she found in meeting musicians and creative people, but emphasizes that the "millions of people that you wouldn't recognize their name" who she met with gave her "an incredible amount of joy" and a sense of confidence in the American people's optimism, fight, endurance, and love of country. She deflects a question about what she misses most about being vice president, calling them "high class problems."