In her new memoir, 107 Days, Vice President Kamala Harris opens up about the personal and the political. Here’s what she learned on the other side of a very tough campaign. It provides an incisive political postmortem. It honestly tracks her emotional transformation, offering readers an intimate picture not just of Kamala Harris’s life, but of the domestic transition—including the challenges—that awaits her husband, newly minted Senator Doug Emhoff. Most strikingly, Harris reveals that she and Emhoff never spoke about a traumatic chapter of their lives until she started writing the memoir.
As she takes readers through the book, Harris writes openly about the campaign’s emotional drain, taking us to the moments that made or broke her fight for support. She had been looking forward to a grand surprise birthday celebration from Emhoff. Sadly, he was just too tired from the intense campaign needed to make it effective. This deep feeling sums up all the duress experienced by each one of them over a dishearteningly long election season.
In her long-form story, Harris paints a distinctive picture of Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race. This landmark decision catapulted her into a firestorm of controversy. Following his exit, she promptly began working the phones for endorsements, demonstrating her resilience and determination to keep her campaign alive. She was criticized for seeming too rehearsed on the campaign trail, an accusation she said stems from sexism.
While discussing Biden’s leadership style, Harris underscores a crucial distinction: his capability to campaign versus his ability to govern. She repeatedly insists that her campaign experiences were powered by her intense discipline. She dismisses critics’ charges that she’s scripted as basic misunderstandings. This is a glimpse into her deep need to be seen as real in a complicated political landscape.
Political scientist Ian Bremmer argues that Biden’s unconditional support for Israel has largely deterred Democratic turnout. At the same time, Harris appears to mostly ignore the conflict in Gaza. This position has sent shockwaves through every wing of the party. Suddenly, serious questions are being raised about her commitment to some of the most critical global issues.
Harris addresses her relationships with peers in the political arena, revealing that characterizations of individuals like Pete Buttigieg and Josh Shapiro have created friction. Her insightful comments are an early warning shot about the dangers of operating in such a competitive ecosystem where friendships and partnerships can be ionized at any moment.
The memoir doesn’t hold back on his moments of self-doubt. Harris remembers dark birthday parties just weeks out from the election, a chilling summary of how in her mind at least, this race was going at first. Despite these challenges, she conveys a sense of purpose and conviction instilled by her pastor’s encouragement: “You were born for a time such as this.”
In an even more touching scene, she asks her pastor for advice at the campaign’s outset. To further calm her jittery staff, she puts him on speakerphone. This underscores her dependence on faith and community support in uncertain and chaotic times.
Critics point out that Harris fails to chart a clear path forward for the United States in her memoir. But without tangible recommendations, readers are left wondering about her plan to lead us into the future. Furthermore, she responds to inquiries about protest movements by questioning why demonstrators did not take action at Trump rallies, showcasing her perspective on political activism.