From the White House congressional holiday party to actress Eva Longoria’s Los Angeles home, Vice President Kamala Harris has been actively gathering insights to penetrate the “bubble” of Biden campaign thinking. Over two dozen sources confirm that Harris is seeking to influence changes in strategy and tactics to bolster the campaign’s chances of winning.
Leading Democrats, concerned about a campaign they perceive as faltering, have welcomed Harris’s proactive approach. They appreciate her efforts after months of feeling sidelined by the White House and Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
Despite the anxiety within top Democratic circles, Harris has been credited for effectively managing these concerns. Her efforts have shifted perceptions of her role within the campaign, with many now viewing her as a more integral part of the reelection effort.
As Harris steps up her efforts, Republican forces are capitalizing on her low approval numbers and President Biden’s advanced age, making the 2024 campaign more about Harris and the possibility of her becoming president. Despite this, Harris remains focused on the reelection effort, often stating that she and the president must earn a second term.
Her proactive approach has led to more meetings and follow-ups as she delves deeper into the campaign’s issues. Harris refers to these as “do outs.”
Levar Stoney, the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, who attended a meeting at the Naval Observatory, said, “Folks like seeing the vice president not just playing the role of cheerleader and promoter of the ticket but having deep conversations about how we message and how we win.”
Harris has been hearing some harsh responses. For instance, Rep. Debbie Dingell has urged her to get the White House to take more seriously how hard Biden’s response to the Gaza war is hitting Arab Americans in her home state of Michigan. Similarly, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker criticized Biden’s response to the migrant crisis and insisted that they need to quickly get much more aggressive about attacking Republicans and Trump.
Harris’s input has been facilitated by Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the Biden campaign manager who originally entered the president’s orbit as an aide to Harris. However, major changes loom for the Biden campaign, including Jen O’Malley Dillon, the 2020 campaign manager, transitioning from a White House job to helping shake up the reelection campaign structure.
One of the biggest topics of conversation in Harris’ sessions with campaign staff is how to energize Black voters and tighten economic messaging that will appeal to them. This came directly from Harris’s two biggest private campaign sessions so far, which focused on Black men in entertainment, media, finance, and politics.
As with almost every one of these meetings, many attendees say that, as good as it was to be heard, they are waiting to see what kind of follow-through will come.
“Vice President Harris knows the stakes of this election and is putting in the work to earn – not ask – for the support of the voters who have the most on the line in this election,” Chavez Rodriguez told CNN.