Vice President Kamala Harris recently disclosed that her initial choice for a running mate was not Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as many may have assumed. In an excerpt from her forthcoming book, “107 Days,” she revealed that she strongly considered Pete Buttigieg, her close friend and current Secretary of Transportation. However, Harris ultimately determined that choosing the openly gay Buttigieg would present too great a risk for the presidential campaign.
In her own words, Harris admitted, “Buttigieg would have been an ideal partner—if I were a straight white man.” This statement highlights her understanding of America’s complexities and pervasive biases. She felt that electing a married gay man as Vice President, alongside a ticket featuring a Black woman married to a Jewish man, would have pushed societal acceptance too far. “We were already asking a lot of America,” she explained, indicating that the prospect made her uneasy.
An internal struggle ensued as she considered her options. Despite wanting to take the leap, Harris recognized the potential backlash. “Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it,” she reflected, but ultimately she decided against it. “But knowing what was at stake, it was too big of a risk,” she concluded. It’s evident that these decisions weighed heavily on her; she expressed genuine sorrow over passing on Buttigieg, whom she described as a beloved friend. “I love Pete,” she wrote. “I love working with Pete. He and his husband, Chasten, are friends.”
Critics may argue that Harris’s choice of Walz, who is often dismissed as “Tampon Tim Walz,” reflects a failure to address the shifting dynamics of modern America. Observers have noted that it is doubtful any running mate could have changed the election outcome against President Trump, given Harris’s reputation. Many voters viewed her unfavorably, perceiving her as incompetent and disconnected, a sentiment emboldened by her lack of substantive alternatives to Biden’s policies. When asked what she might have done differently as President, Harris offered a strikingly vague response: “There’s not a thing that comes to mind.”
This level of uncertainty does little to inspire confidence among voters. Despite the challenges she outlined, Harris’s reflections reveal much about her position and the obstacles she faced in her political career. The fact that even her ambitious ideas about running with Buttigieg were curbed by fear of societal backlash raises questions about the current acceptance levels in America—and whether there truly is space for diverse representation at high levels of leadership.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, Harris’s candid revelations serve as a reminder of the balancing act that candidates must perform between ambition and public perception. Her experience illustrates the complexities of representation in modern politics and the weight of historical biases that persist in shaping electoral decisions.
"*" indicates required fields
