Kamala Harris’s score-settling new memoir throws sharp elbows at a number of likely 2028 presidential contenders, from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to her longtime friend and rival, Gavin Newsom, who she cast as unreachable in the frantic hours after then-President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
“Hiking. Will call back,” wrote the former vice president in her notes from her calls that day, which are recounted in her campaign memoir “107 Days.” She pointedly noted in parenthesis: “He never did.”
The memoir, which goes on sale next week, sprints through Harris’ hyper-speed campaign for the presidency after Biden dropped out. Harris, known as a cautious communicator, presents a relatively unvarnished look at her losing presidential bid, and her critical assessment of a range of leading Democrats represents one of the highest-profile installments yet in the party’s post-election recriminations
It wasn’t just her criticism of the “recklessness” of Biden running again, or her characterization of her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as the second choice. Harris begins naming names early in the book, as she recounts the reactions from fellow Democrats in the immediate aftermath of Biden ending his campaign and, soon after, endorsing Harris in his stead.
Some Democrats, such as Shapiro and then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, she writes, were quick to line up behind her as she made calls to amass support for the party’s nomination.
“Before you say anything, I’m all in,” Harris recalled Buttigieg saying.
But others, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, were more reticent, according to Harris. Whitmer, she wrote, signaled support but said she needed to “let the dust settle” before making a public statement. And Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, noting his state was hosting the party convention that summer, said he could not commit to supporting her.
As the second-to-last Democrat mentioned, Harris’ note on Newsom’s whereabouts comes across as a comedic punctuation mark on the list of responses, which run over a page long. It is followed, in contrast, by Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who, she writes, “tweeted his endorsement before I even reached him.”
Unmentioned is that Newsom posted his own endorsement of Harris within hours. The California governor, whose stature among probable 2028 contenders has surged in recent weeks, draws notably sparse mention in the book, given the two San Franciscans’ parallel careers have long intersected.
A spokesperson for Newsom declined to comment on the anecdote.
Harris is no less sparing in her recollection of her approach to choosing a running mate. She said she had poll-tested potential vice presidential picks, an exercise that was ultimately useless because “none of the names moved the needle either way.” Her choice, she said, came down to the vetting and personal chemistry.
Harris said her first choice was Buttigieg and went on to lavish praise on his resume, his political chops and his husband, Chasten. But she ultimately decided she couldn’t risk choosing a gay running mate.
“We were already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man,” she wrote. “Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it.” But knowing what was at stake, it was too big a risk.”
Harris described Shapiro, one of three finalists for the post, as “poised, polished and personable.” But she was put off by his ambition — and his request to be in the room for every major decision — and worried he would not settle for the number-two job.
Harris twice describes Shapiro as “peppering” her and staff with questions, not just about details of the job but also life as vice president. He asked the residence manager a number of questions about the home, ranging from the number of bedrooms to “how he might arrange to get Pennsylvania artists’ work on loan from the Smithsonian.”
She also accused Shapiro of exhibiting a “lack of discretion” in the veepstakes, recalling that his official vehicles with Pennsylvania plates were filmed by CNN in front of the vice president’s residence, despite efforts by her staff to arrange for less attention-getting transportation.
Manuel Bonder, a spokesperson for Shapiro, pushed back on the governor’s portrayal.
“It’s simply ridiculous to suggest that Governor Shapiro was focused on anything other than defeating Donald Trump and protecting Pennsylvania from the chaos we are living through now,” Bonder said in a statement. “The Governor campaigned tirelessly for the Harris-Walz ticket — and as he has made clear, the conclusion of this process was a deeply personal decision for both him and the Vice President.”
Harris praised another finalist, Mark Kelly, as “magnetic,” but fretted that he had not yet had an “‘oh shit’ moment” during his political career. She worried his military service could be used against him a la the Swift Boat attacks against John Kerry — which were orchestrated by Chris LaCivita, a top Trump campaign aide.
“I realized I couldn’t afford to test Mark Kelly in that ugly grinder,” she wrote.
She ended up choosing Walz, whom Harris praised for having “an appealing authenticity and was genuinely self-deprecating.” Walz, in contrast to Shapiro, said he had no specific vision of the role of vice president, assuaging concerns that his own political interests could undermine her presidency.
Though her husband, Doug Emhoff, leaned toward Shapiro, Harris said Walz was the consensus pick of her staff and other close family members. After preparing a pork roast for dinner, she settled on him.
As for other Democrats hoping to quickly peruse the memoir to find if they’re mentioned in the tome, they’re out of luck. The book, bucking the norm of Washington tell-alls, does not have an index.