Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run For Something and former email director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, joins The Excerpt podcast to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential race. Harris is only the second female ever to make it to the top of a presidential ticket and the first female of color to do so. Litman reflects on the progress women have made in politics over the years, highlighting the importance of representation and the groundwork laid by other women leaders.
She discusses the personal attacks on Harris by Trump and other Republicans, comparing them to the attacks Hillary Clinton faced. Litman notes that Harris and her team are effectively not engaging with the attacks and instead framing her gender and race as strengths that inform her views on important issues like reproductive health and equal pay.
Litman emphasizes that Harris’s entry into the presidential race adds a sense of hope and excitement for the future of leadership in America. Unlike Biden’s campaign, which focused on Trump and the past, Harris represents a new generation of leadership that looks forward to what could be. Additionally, having already held the office of Vice President gives Harris credibility and experience that can help her overcome bias among likely voters.
Overall, Litman advocates for running a campaign based on hope and enthusiasm rather than fear, and believes that Harris’s historic nomination as the Democratic candidate for president represents a significant step forward for women in politics.
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