If you’re wondering what’s going on behind the scenes in the Democratic Party, former Vice President Kamala Harris just delivered a really sharp assessment, warning that the entire party is “stuck in the past.” This isn’t just a mild critique; Harris argued that the party’s messaging is suffering because officials aren’t speaking “authentically” to the current moment.
She made these comments during an interview with former Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison on his At Our Table podcast. Harrison had asked Harris if she felt the party was being too risk-averse in how it handled policy and messaging. Harris didn’t hesitate with her answer, unlike when shedodged certain Biden questions.
“Yeah, I think that in some ways, we are very much stuck in the past,” Harris stated directly. She explained that because the party is so focused on old ways of thinking, “we’re not speaking in a way that sounds authentic or relatable or just relevant.” She stressed that the party absolutely has to find a way to “speak to this moment.”
Kamila Harris wants a bust in congress
Harris believes that this risk-averse approach means the party often ignores important new perspectives. She pointed out that while it might be uncomfortable to hear new voices that are “maybe new to the room,” dismissing them simply because “it’s not the way we talk” is a huge mistake. That’s a tough assessment, especially for a party that claims to be forward-thinking.
She went on to say that the Democratic Party gives a lot of “lip service to listening to the people,” but she questioned whether they are truly engaging with what people are saying. It sounds like she’s calling for a genuine internal culture shift, not just better talking points.
Harrison agreed with the need for change, but he focused his criticism on the issue of rigid ideology within the party. He argued that the widespread use of “purity tests” is incredibly harmful. If the party claims to be a big-tent organization, he said, then you can’t just dismiss someone because they disagree with you on a single issue.
Harrison offered a pragmatic solution that you’re going to want to hear. He suggested that if he finds common ground with someone on 75 or 85 percent of the issues, they should work on those shared priorities first. “Then we can fight like h— on the other 20% later on,” he said, emphasizing that people are three-dimensional, not one-dimensional. That’s a much more practical approach to coalition building, in my opinion.
This strategic commentary comes as Harris has been touring the country to promote her memoir, 107 Days. The book recounts her historically short presidential campaign in 2024, and the tour seems to be a huge success. Harris noted that every place she’s gone has been completely sold out, with “thousands and thousands” of people coming out to hear her speak.
Even while critiquing the party’s relevance, Harris is clearly confident in her own historic standing. In an interview published last week, she dismissed talk about future elections, arguing that her place in history is already cemented.
“I understand the focus on ’28 and all that,” she said, before making a bold prediction about her legacy. “But there will be a marble bust of me in Congress. I am a historic figure like any Vice President of the United States ever was.” That’s certainly a confident way to view your time in office, and it shows she’s not worried about her voice being discounted, even if she thinks the party’s overall message is struggling to keep up.
Published: Dec 18, 2025 05:02 pm