Kamala Harris, fresh off a billion-dollar campaign crash, griped about America’s “broken” political system during an appearance on The Late Show with host Stephen Colbert, as the New York Post reports.
In her first post-election interview, the former vice president lamented her loss to Donald Trump in November 2024, while also signaling that she’s done with electoral politics for now.
Harris’ presidential bid began after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump in June 2024 sparked calls for her to step up. Some Democrats pushed her as a potential replacement, but she sidestepped that chatter, saying only, “There were some who did.” The progressive dream of a Harris presidency fizzled fast when she couldn’t muster the votes to win.
Despite raising over $1 billion, Harris lost the popular vote, the Electoral College, and every swing state to Trump. Her campaign, which she described as “very intense,” burned through cash but failed to connect with voters. Throwing money at a failing effort didn’t fix the disconnect.
On Colbert’s stage, her eighth appearance on the show, Harris announced she won’t run for California governor in 2026. “I just don’t want to go back in the system,” she said, calling it broken. Sounds like sour grapes from someone who couldn’t game the system to win.
She doubled down, claiming America’s democratic systems aren’t “strong enough” to defend core principles. That’s a bold jab from someone who spent a fortune trying to work those same systems. Maybe the system isn’t broken -- just her strategy.
Colbert, sensing retreat, said, “I’m hearing you don’t want to be a part of the fight anymore.” Harris shot back, “Oh, absolutely not. I’m always going to be part of the fight.” Yet her refusal to name a Democratic Party leader suggests she’s stepping back from the front lines.
When asked who leads the Democrats, Harris dodged, saying, “I’m not going to go through names, because then I’m going to leave somebody out.” That non-answer leaves the party’s future murky. Leadership vacuums don’t inspire confidence in a “fight.”
Harris admitted to avoiding news for “months” in the wake of the election, joking, “I’m just not into self-mutilation.” Fair enough, but tuning out reality doesn’t scream resilience. Voters might wonder if she’s truly ready for the political trenches.
Instead of politics, Harris is plugging her upcoming book, 107 Days, chronicling her failed campaign. Writing memoirs is a classic move for politicians licking their wounds. It’s less about reflection and more about rewriting the narrative.
She also wants to “travel the country” and “listen to people” without asking for votes. That’s a noble sentiment, but it reeks of a politician trying to stay relevant without committing. Non-transactional listening tours rarely move the needle.
Harris insisted she never dreamed of being president, saying, “That wasn’t me.” Odd, considering she ran a billion-dollar campaign to sit in the Oval Office. Hard to buy the reluctant candidate act after such a high-stakes gamble.
Colbert’s cozy chat didn’t press Harris too hard, letting her vent about a “broken” system without much pushback. His comment, “It’s harrowing,” about her loss felt more like sympathy than scrutiny. Late-night TV isn’t exactly the place for tough questions.
Harris’s claim that democracy’s systems are too weak to defend principles raises eyebrows. She thrived in those systems as a senator and vice president—until they didn’t deliver her the presidency. Blaming the game when you lose feels like a cop-out.
Her exit from electoral politics, at least for now, leaves Democrats scrambling for direction. With no clear leader and a billion-dollar lesson in what doesn’t work, Harris’s Colbert appearance was less a comeback and more a farewell. Time will tell whether her “fight” finds a new battlefield.
