THE F-WORD

Some allies of Vice President Kamala Harris argue that her historic loss to now-President-elect Donald Trump was largely the result of President Joe Biden’s delayed withdrawal from the race. According to them, the late exit robbed Harris of the time needed to establish herself as the frontrunner, solidify voter confidence, and effectively counter Republican attacks. However, former campaign staffers strongly reject this narrative, calling it an excuse that ignores the deeper issues at play. They argue that pinning Harris’s defeat on Biden’s timing is not only misguided but completely disconnected from reality.

Among those offering a starkly different assessment is Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco and a longtime figure in Democratic politics. Brown, who once dated Harris and has closely followed her political career, believes the campaign’s failure was not about timing but a fundamental misreading of the political climate. He argues that Harris and her team failed to absorb the hard lessons of past elections, particularly Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss, and did not take a realistic approach to the challenges of electing a woman president.

“Not one of them got it right, not one,” Brown said, expressing his frustration. “They never stopped to ask the most important question—why didn’t Hillary Clinton succeed? They should have taken a hard look at that race and asked themselves whether this country is actually ready to elect a woman as president. And if that question wasn’t met with an undeniable yes, then they should have adjusted their approach. But they didn’t. They misread the moment, assumed history was automatically on their side, and failed to build the kind of campaign that could overcome the barriers still standing in the way.”

His criticism reflects a broader frustration among political strategists who believe Harris’s campaign suffered from poor messaging, a lack of clear vision, and an overreliance on identity politics rather than a compelling, unifying message. While Harris made history as the first woman of color to serve as vice president, many felt her campaign struggled to connect with voters in a way that transcended symbolism. The challenges she faced were not new, but her team’s failure to anticipate and effectively counter them proved to be a major weakness.

Brown suggests that the campaign’s downfall was not an issue of bad luck or unfortunate timing but rather an inability to adapt to political reality. Despite the historical significance of her candidacy, Harris faced skepticism from key voter blocs that her team never fully addressed. Some Democratic strategists argue that rather than focusing on Biden’s exit as the decisive factor, Harris’s supporters should take a hard look at the strategic missteps that cost her the election. In the end, it wasn’t just about whether the country was ready for a woman president—it was about whether her campaign was prepared to win in an environment where nothing could be taken for granted.