During her appearance on ‘The Late Show’, former Vice President Kamala Harris was asked by Stephen Colbert who she thought was leading the Democratic Party. Harris, who was promoting her book ‘107 Days’, which details her 2024 presidential campaign, refused to name any individual as the current leader of the party. She stated that there are many leaders within the Democratic Party, and it would be difficult to single out one person without leaving someone out.
Colbert, noting that Harris is no longer in a presidential race and has ruled out running for California governor in 2026, pressed her to identify the leader of the party. Harris explained that it is a mistake to place all the responsibility on one person, emphasizing that it is a collective effort. She expressed her belief that the Democratic Party must work together to address the political challenges they face.
In addition to the leadership question, Harris also discussed her failed 2024 presidential campaign and the upcoming release of her book. She mentioned that the book would provide a behind-the-scenes look at the campaign and the challenges she faced. Harris also noted that she has ruled out running for California governor in 2026, though speculation remains about her potential bid for the presidency in 2028.
Harris also addressed the difficulty of differentiating herself from former President Joe Biden during the 2024 campaign. She acknowledged the challenges of being compared to a sitting president and expressed her reluctance to engage in the ‘piling on’ of her former boss. She also commented on the ‘capitulation’ that has occurred since Donald Trump took office, suggesting that she was surprised by the level of concession some members of the party have shown.
Her comments may have been referencing the recent settlement between Paramount and Trump over the ’60 Minutes’ interview where Harris was interviewed. The settlement ended Trump’s ‘election interference’ lawsuit, which was brought over CBS’ handling of the interview. The incident also led to the cancellation of ‘The Late Show’ and the FCC’s approval of Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media. However, Colbert did not bring up Trump’s lawsuit during the interview.