Kamala Harris Blames ‘Broken System’ for Political Pause, Tells Stephen Colbert It’s Been ‘Months’ Since She’s Watched the News
Former vice president and failed 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris told Stephen Colbert she’s refraining from running for public office again to avoid a “broken” system.
Harris appeared on The Late Show Thursday night in her first interview since her election loss to Donald Trump last year.
“First of all, you look rested,” Colbert joked to kick off the interview.
Harris revealed it’s been “months” since she turned on the news since Trump was sworn into office in January.
“I’m just not into self-mutilation,” she joked.
When asked why she was declining to run for California governor despite leading in most polling, Harris revealed she didn’t want to “go back into the system”:
Honestly, it’s more perhaps basic than that. Listen, 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. I 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 do we think we want to improve the 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. And recently I made the decsion that for now I don’t want to go back into the system. I think it’s broken. There are so many good people who are public servants, who do such good work — teachers and firefighters and police officers and nurses and scientists. Scientists! [applause]. And so it’s not about them. But, you know, I believe and I’ve 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. And I just don’t want to, for now, I don’t want 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.
Colbert then remarked that to hear her say the system is broken and our systems aren’t strong enough is harrowing.
“Well, but it’s also evident, isn’t it?”
She added: “But it doesn’t mean we give up. That’s not my point. I am always gonna be a part of the fight.”
It was Harris’ eighth appearance on The Late Show, which was abruptly canceled by CBS earlier this month after parent company Paramount reached a $16 million settlement with Trump. The final episodes will air in May.
Earlier Thursday, Harris announced she was releasing a book about her historically short campaign, titled 107 Days.
“This book is basically what I would offer as a behind-the-scenes sharing of what it means to run for president,” Harris told Colbert of the book, which hits bookstores on Sept. 23.
Watch above via CBS.
