Campaign Staffers Disillusioned by Kamala’s Post-Election Remarks: ‘Out of Touch with the Reality of What Happened’

In Democratic circles, there may still be celebration for recent victories, with candidates basking in the afterglow of election night. However, in the world of Biden and Harris, not all are reveling—especially after recent comments from Vice President Kamala Harris that have left campaign staffers feeling let down.

One persistent criticism from within Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign circles has been directed at President Joe Biden. Following a challenging June debate, Biden exited the re-election race in July, but some believe this was too late.

“The biggest onus of this loss is on President Biden,” stated Harris supporter Andrew Yang, who also vied for the Democratic nomination in 2020, per the Associated Press. “If he had stepped down in January instead of July, we may be in a very different place.”

Others argue that Harris herself is accountable for key decisions that led to the campaign’s outcome, as reported by Newsweek.

Philadelphia Democratic Chair and former congressman Bob Brady criticized the campaign’s insular approach, noting that Harris’s staffers were “just elitist and went out there, did their own thing and didn’t include Democratic city committee or (ward leaders) or committee people. They just didn’t do it.”

According to Axios, there’s a belief among some campaign insiders that leadership was out of touch with the campaign's actual performance. In a memo to staff, campaign leaders described the race as “very close,” but this message did not resonate with many staffers.

“People are depressed and frustrated about the overconfident leadership of the campaign,” said an anonymous staff member quoted by Axios.

On a Thursday night call with all campaign staff, there appeared to be conflicting tones. Campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon was reportedly emotional, while Harris acknowledged the disappointment, saying, “Yeah, this sucks… There’s also so much good that has come of this” campaign.

“It was detached from the reality of what happened,” said an unnamed staffer, per Axios. “We are told the fate of democracy is at stake, and then the message was, ‘We’ll get them next time.’”

Others pointed fingers at Biden’s timing in bowing out of the race. Harris aide David Plouffe commented on X (formerly Twitter) that Harris had “dug out of a deep hole,” though he later deleted his account.

Meanwhile, a Biden staffer remarked to Axios, “How did you spend $1 billion and not win?”

Amid rising tensions, some feel Biden’s absence in the campaign was pivotal. “The Harris team benched [Biden], and then they lost, so now the people who represent Biden are saying, ‘Maybe you shouldn’t have benched him,’” another Biden supporter told Axios.

A Democratic state committee member from Pennsylvania offered additional criticism, saying, “Everyone who destroyed Biden and pushed him out got the race they demanded,” as quoted by Time. “There was a choice: The only person that ever beat Trump or a gigantic unknown.”

Others suggested that Harris’s approach to the campaign was flawed from the outset.

“She let the GOP define her,” a senior Democratic strategist commented.

“She could have left the convention and tried to reach out to voters from across the political spectrum, but she and [running mate Tim] Walz went inexplicably into hiding and didn’t do interviews for weeks,” the source added.

The fallout continues, leaving some to question where the campaign went wrong and whether lessons will truly be learned.