Former Vice President Kamala Harris has provided a candid account of her vice presidential nominee Tim Walz’s debate performance in her new book, 107 Days. The book offers an inside look at the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign, with a particular focus on the Oct. 1, 2024, vice presidential debate where Walz faced off against JD Vance, the Republican Senate candidate from Ohio. Harris’s chapter on the debate captures her personal feelings and the high stakes of the event.
While Harris had anticipated Walz to serve as the ‘closer’ in the debate — a role she believed was critical given the absence of another potential matchup with Donald Trump — she expressed disappointment with his handling of the exchange. During the debate, she turned to her husband, Doug, in frustration, moaning, ‘What is happening?’ as she conveyed her confusion and dissatisfaction with Walz’s performance. She criticized how Walz fell for Vance’s ‘mild-mannered aw-shucks’ approach, which she believed had tricked him into an uncomfortable position.
Harris also recounted her reaction to the debate itself, describing how she told the television screen, ‘You’re not there to make friends with the guy who is attacking your running mate.’ She noted that while she had expected Walz to be a strong performer, his inability to counter Vance’s tactics left her questioning his effectiveness. She further mentioned his struggle with the moderator’s question about his time in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests, which he reportedly answered awkwardly by talking about biking in Nebraska instead of addressing the issue directly.
Despite her criticism of Walz’s performance, Harris reassured him that the debate’s impact on the election was minimal, and that the race was not decided by that moment. She offered emotional support to Walz, acknowledging the toll that the campaign’s unfair attacks had taken on his family. Harris also reflected on the broader challenges of political life, quoting an old mentor’s advice: ‘You must be ready to brawl.’ Her insights into the political struggle, as well as the personal toll on candidates, highlight the pressures faced by those in high-profile political positions.
In addition to the debate, Harris wrote about the decision-making process involved in selecting Walz as her running mate. She mentioned that her senior staff strongly favored Tim, and that even her godson, along with her sister and brother-in-law, preferred Walz. While her husband, Doug, had leaned toward Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and she had initially considered him, she ultimately decided on Walz after a personal reflection that she described as a ‘tasty rub’ and a ‘pork roast’ moment.