Harris addresses Buttigieg remark in Maddow interview as memoir reveals timing and risk of a gay running mate
In excerpts from her forthcoming memoir 107 Days, Harris says she would have teamed with Pete Buttigieg if he weren't gay, citing timing and political risk; she chose Tim Walz instead.
WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris said in an interview with Rachel Maddow that she would have run her 2024 campaign with Pete Buttigieg if he weren’t gay, a remark tied to her forthcoming memoir 107 Days. The book, which documents her perspective on the 2020 race and its aftermath, is set for release this week as Harris weighs her public record and the lessons of a historic, high-stakes election.
In the Maddow conversation, Harris stressed that the remark was about timing and risk rather than prejudice. She described Buttigieg as a phenomenal public servant and said that running a campaign with a gay man in a moment of national strain would have been an uphill gamble. She emphasized that the decision was driven by the political moment and concerns about how opponents, including then-President Donald Trump, would react. Harris added that there was little time to game plan amid the intense pressure of a closing phase of the race, and she acknowledged that taking such a risk would have been difficult for the country to absorb at the time.
Harris ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, a choice she described as grounded in a belief that pairing a Black woman with a Jewish husband would present its own set of challenges for voters to accept. In the book, she writes that choosing a gay candidate would have been asking a lot of America during a period when the ticket was already breaking barriers. She also notes that she felt sadness about the risk involved but believed it was the right decision given the stakes.
The notes depict Buttigieg, who is openly gay, as a respected public servant whose presence on the ticket would have represented a bold but risky path. Harris emphasizes that the decision to go with Walz was not a rejection of Buttigieg’s qualifications but a calculation about timing, the political climate, and the potential impact on the electorate.
The interview also touched on broader reflections from Maddow’s sit-down. Maddow, who has been an ally in the public conversation about LGBTQ issues, pressed Harris on the implications of the remark while allowing room for empathy and nuance. Harris defended her record on LGBTQ rights and reiterated that the short window to organize was a factor in the decision, rather than any personal prejudice. She described a sense of responsibility to upholding the integrity of the race while acknowledging the personal sadness at the necessity of a difficult strategic choice.
Beyond the campaign epoch, Harris offered thoughts on contemporary political moments. She praised the public’s role in restoring Jimmy Kimmel to ABC after a suspension, attributing it to the power of collective action and audience support. She also reflected on her own stance regarding President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, noting that she felt a responsibility to have engaged more forcefully in shaping the race, even as she maintained that the focus of the moment was on the work at hand rather than on future electoral considerations.
In addressing questions about 2028, Harris signaled that the timing of any potential run was not her focus at present, underscoring that her primary aim was the duties of the current administration and the ongoing political work ahead. 107 Days is scheduled for release on Tuesday, and it promises a detailed, insider’s look at a pivotal chapter in American politics as Harris reflects on the complex intersection of race, gender, and leadership at the highest levels of government.