Kamala Harris Gives Blunt Review of ‘Stuck in the Past’ Democratic Party

Former Vice President Kamala Harris offered a blunt assessment of the current state of the Democratic Party, warning them they have a lot of work to do.

Harris joined former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison on his At Our Table podcast on Wednesday where she discussed both her unsuccessful, 107-day presidential campaign and what she believes Democrats need to do going into the midterms and 2028. Harris was on the show to promote her book, 107 Days, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at her short run for president.

Harris noted some Democratic wins she called exciting, like Zohran Mamdani winning New York City’s mayoral election, but she also accused her party of being “very much stuck in the past.”

“I think that in some ways, we are very much stuck in the past. And so we’re not speaking in a way that sounds authentic or relatable or just relevant. You know, we got to speak to this moment,” she said.

Harris encouraged her party to listen to newer voices in the party, even when they communicate in a different style than older Democrats.

“I think that there is a lot that we need to do. That is about recognizing we give a lot of lip service to listening to the people — but are we really listening?” she said.

Harrison rejected the idea of “purity tests” in the party.

“I think these purity tests that we see within our party also are very harmful. You know, if we say that we are the big-tent party, then that means you can’t dismiss everybody just because the one issue they don’t agree with you on,” he argued.

During the interview, Harris also addressed an Axios report suggesting she is making steps towards a 2028 presidential run.

“I have not made any decisions about that,” she said.

Watch above via At Our Table with Jaime Harrison.

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