Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris in the US presidential election last November
Kamala Harris was apparently left ‘completely shocked’ after losing to Donald Trump in the 2024 US presidential race last November.
Just a few months before the election, the former vice president secured the Democratic presidential nomination after then-President Joe Biden unexpectedly dropped out of the race.
Despite her efforts, Trump triumphed over Harris, claiming victory and the keys to the White House. Since then, the once-prominent politician has remained largely out of the spotlight. However, Harris made a noteworthy return this week, delivering an inspiring speech at the Leading Women Defined Summit in California on April 3. In her address, she emphasized the power of courage in the face of fear, calling on leaders to stand tall even when the road ahead is uncertain. Harris boldly warned of the challenges that could arise under Trump’s continued leadership, asserting, “When one person, when a few stand with courage, that is the courage exhibited by the leaders in this room every day.”
“To have the courage to acknowledge fear, the courage to speak out against what is wrong, the courage to chart a path forward — these are the qualities that define leadership,” Harris said. “We must recognize the power we still hold in the democracy we are determined to preserve. Courage is contagious.”
Amie Parnes, The Hill correspondent and co-author of FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, has been shedding light on the shock Harris’ camp experienced when the election results came in.
“She was completely blindsided, and Tim Walz was just as shocked,” Parnes shared on the Somebody’s Gotta Win podcast with Tara Palmer.
Parnes continued, “They were confident they were going to win. So when they now say, ‘Oh no, we didn’t really have a chance,’ that’s not the full story. At the time, they truly believed victory was within their grasp.”
“Kamala Harris looked at the crowd and felt the energy — people were talking about their strong ground game and increased fundraising efforts. There was a sense of optimism, and she bought into it, just as many others on the campaign did.”
Jonathan Allen, co-author of the book alongside Parnes, revealed that Barack Obama was initially hesitant to throw his full support behind Harris as the Democratic nominee. He didn’t believe she had what it took to defeat Trump. “He didn’t think she was the best choice for the Democrats,” Allen explained. “Behind the scenes, he pushed for a mini-primary or an open convention, hoping for a different candidate. He simply didn’t have faith in her ability to win the election,” Allen added during an appearance on MSNBC.
