Former Vice President Kamala Harris complained on Thursday that “the system” is “broken” after spending decades in elected office.
Harris announced on Wednesday that she would not seek the governorship in California after serving as district attorney of San Francisco from 2004-2011, attorney general of California from 2011-2016, senator from California from 2017-2021 and finally vice president from 2021-2025. On “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” she explained she opted out of the governor’s race due to disillusionment with “the system.” (RELATED: ‘She Comes With Baggage’: California House Dems Split On Possible Kamala Harris Comeback)
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“I am a devout public servant. I have spent my entire career in service of the people. And I thought a lot about running for governor. I love my state. I love California,” Harris said. “I’ve served as elected district attorney, attorney general and senator. But to be very candid with you, when I was young in my career, I had to defend my decision to become a prosecutor with my family.”
“And one of the points that I made is, why is it then when we think we want to improve a system or change it, that we’re always on the outside, on bended knee, or trying to break down the door? Shouldn’t we also be inside the system? And that has been my career,” she continued. “And recently, I made the decision that I just — for now — I don’t want to go back in the system. I think it’s broken.
Harris clarified her comments were not referring to people like teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses and scientists.
“I believe — and I always believed — that as fragile as our democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles. And I think right now that they’re not as strong as they need to be,” she said. “And I just don’t want to — for now — I don’t want to go back in the system. I want to travel the country. I want to listen to people. I want to talk with people. And I don’t want it to be transactional, where I’m asking for their vote.”
Host Stephen Colbert said hearing Harris’ gloomy statements about “the system” after her career in politics was “harrowing.” He said it seemed like she was surrendering, but Harris asserted that was not the case.
“I am absolutely going to be part of the fight,” she said.
Harris was on the show to promote her upcoming book, which she announced earlier on Thursday. The book is set for publication in September and is titled “107 Days,” referencing her short 2024 presidential campaign that ended with her losing the popular vote and all seven swing states to President Donald Trump.
The former vice president did not rule out a 2028 presidential run in her statement about her decision on the governor’s race.
NewsNation political contributor Chris Cillizza warned on his YouTube channel Thursday that Harris’ return to the spotlight would be damaging to the Democratic Party as she would serve as a reminder “of a bad period” at a time when Democrats are already exceedingly unpopular.
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