Harris-Walz was a great ticket and could be again.

[milestogo]

I'm not sure whether they really lost or not. But here is what I am sure of:

Kamala Harris is and was fully capable of being president of the United States. We don't need to go shopping around for someone better. She is highly qualified.

Tim Walz is highly qualified and an effective leader. Every time he speaks I am impressed. There was nothing wrong with the Democratic ticket, nothing at all.

The electorate had less time than usual to make a choice. But how much time do you really need if you're paying attention? TSF had already been impeached twice, convicted on 34 felony counts, and had many more legal problems on his plate. He was a HORRIBLE choice for president. Kamala Harris was Vice President for 4 years. She had been in highly visible government positions for many years before that. Its not hard to find information on her service. She was an EXCELLENT choice for president.

A lot of people put more thought into buying a pair of shoes than voting for president. They don't know how to figure out what is going to be good for them and for the country. We are each given a little bit of power to choose when we vote. But some people just throw it away on garbage or never spend it at all.

I don't think the problem is our candidates or our party or our messaging. I think the problem is that Americans are so dumbed down by social media and bad tv that they can no longer make intelligent choices. I have no idea how to fix that. But I don't think we do that by dumbing down our party for people who only relate to celebrities and don't care the least bit about democracy.

[Callie1979]

1. "Capable" doesnt mean "electable". I'm capable. Not electable.

Harris was certainly hamstrung from day ONE with zero time to form a good campaign. But dont kid yourself; she wasnt popular when she ran in 2020 & she wasnt a popular VP either. Not me saying that, thats what the polls showed consistently.
It is what it is & its time to move on with new candidates that can WIN.

[elocs]

20. +100,000,000

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Harris cannot be elected in the America of today. That's just a reality.
Not since Adlai Stevenson in '52 and '56 has the Democratic Party run the same losing candidate 2 elections in a row and for a good reason.

[Shrek]

104. I don't think time was the issue

The days immediately after she became the nominee were the best of her campaign. She had a healthy lead in the polls, enthusiasm for her candidacy was palpable, and the Trump/Vance campaign was clearly knocked on its heels. If the election had been held then or not long after, she would have won going away.

But as time passed she started losing ground and never reversed the trend. I see no evidence that a longer campaign would have allowed her to recover.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

108. This.

[dchill]

2. Agreed.

[calguy]

3. I think Kamala is done with national politics

After both Hillary and Kamala lost to a total idiot, it should be obvious by now that the country is not ready to accept a female president, let alone one with dark skin.

[bif]

5. I totally agree

[cadoman]

86. a woman won the popular vote in 2016

And came within the margin of error of winning in 2024. A Black American was elected for two full terms from 2008-2016.

We need to be highly cautious about where we're going with this "don't nominate women or minorities" rhetoric. Biden largely won because he was sure to carry the Obama playbook for handling COVID--i.e. it was more of a rational self-interest candidacy than a white/cis/male candidacy. Shortly after the expert power was restored, COVID was largely crushed.

If we adopt a policy of refusing to nominate minorities and women because they're unelectable, where do you think those nominees are going to go?

Do you honestly think repukes are going to have any problem nominating minorities or women as long as they support christofascism? Do the names Clarence Thomas, Sarah Huckabee, or Kristi Noem mean nothing to you? Do you not see that the virus of fascism can escape white cis men and be transmitted to sensible humans? Heads up: Winsome Sears, Virginia (Fascist).

[JT45242]

103. The reactionary hatred of that "uppity black man and likely Muslim" is what led us to where we are

They hate people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and the educated more than they value the safety and economic security of themselves and their families.

A white male sexual assaulter and felon beat qualified women.

I am not happy about it but the next ticket CANNOT have a woman or a gay man at the top and be electable.

That does not mean that I think that they are not qualified -- I do not think that they can win.

[Quiet Em]

4. I would absolutely support them again.

They are an exceptional ticket.

[elocs]

21. An exceptional LOSING ticket. Reality sucks, but it is what it is. n/t

[Quiet Em]

31. Curious. Who is on the ticket you are looking for?

As of this date Kamala Harris is still the strongest candidate to run. I don't see anyone else generating as much enthusiam.

Again, if she runs she has my support. And Harris/Walz was an exceptional ticket.

[Melon]

79. She was one of the first out in 2020...

Very weak candidate then. Put into the VP slot and was largely hidden away for much of the presidency. This would be a huge mistake to run her again. She is simply not strong enough to carry the ticket.

[Quiet Em]

85. That's not quite accurate

Don't you remember how many candidates were running in 2020? A dozen or so suspended their campaigns before Harris. Another 1/2 dozen suspended shortly after she did. Many people were shocked and saddened when Harris suspended her campaign. She was generating a lot of enthusiasm. But everyone knew where the consensus was going. It was evident that voters were coalescing behind Joe Biden.

[madville]

91. She sealed her fate in the primary

When she insinuated Joe Biden worked with racist senators and had backed racist policies during his career. It was a desperate ploy that turned off many and I still can’t believe he picked her as VP after that attack.

[Quiet Em]

93. Joe Biden said selecting Kamala Harris as his VP was the best decision he's made in his entire career

Joe Biden is admired by so many because he listens, he learns and he grows.

[yorkster]

6. I agree if they want it. She also might be a great AG.

[Renew Deal]

7. What role do candidates have in the so called "dumbed down" electorate?

I don’t buy the idea that voters are too dumb to figure it out. But if you do believe that, then you should support candidates that will appeal to them.

[Dr. T]

42. At some point, the Dems need to appeal to the

intellectually stunted and use them as muscle, the way Repuglicans have been doing for the last 40 years. Sadly, America is infested with such people and they vote.

[maxsolomon]

110. Dumb voters put a sociopathic narcissistic con man into office.

My father among them.

[ForgedCrank]

8. No way.

I am willing to get mocked for saying it too. We need a powerhouse next go-around. I'm really tired of losing and dealing with the aftermath like this. We need strong candidates this time, even if it means capitulating on some of the more fringe issues. Mainstream popularity is the only way we get back on the right track. The Harris pick was doomed to fail before it even got started. One doesn't need to look any further than her primary performance numbers. I still don't get how anyone thought it was a good idea, and I'm still pretty mad about the whole change-up that they pulled.
We can continue to push the same old stuff and continue to lose, but personally, I've had about enough of it.

[milestogo]

13. I worked with a young man who really wanted Mark Zuckerberg to be president.

Why? He is well known. He was smart enough to start a successful business.

People want a celebrity. That's why we got stuck with Trump.

People would vote for Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg or Tom Brady because they "know" them. But these are just more billionaires who only care about themselves and other rich people.

[Callie1979]

16. Thats why I think the "MAGA" cult shrinks with Trump's death

His kids just dont have the "it" that they see in him. Neither does Pillsbury Doughboy Vance

[elocs]

22. Maga is a cult of personality and Trump is that personality. n/t

[ShazzieB]

45. Agree 1000%!

[cadoman]

87. agree, the field resets when he is gone

And a lot of assumptions that folks are operating on now go away.

There are a lot of "regular" GQP sitting below TFG who are not nearly as famous and don't resonate with the general public in the same way.

Imagine if it were:

Harris v. Noem

Harris v. Haley

Harris v. Ramaswamy

Harris v. DeSantis

They all have their unique brand of fascism, but it's easy to envision Harris running circles around any of them.

[Melon]

81. Zuckerberg comes across as an alien. He's relatable to nobody. Mark Cuban.......

[Callie1979]

15. You've hit the nail on the head. Agree on ALL points.

We shouldve been allowed a primary.

[Bluestocking]

9. If you want a Repub in 2028

[Ponietz]

10. Might as well run Hillary again

What was that street definition of stupidity, again?

[elocs]

23. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. n/t

[Ponietz]

65. Al Gore!

[Aristus]

11. Nobody doubted their capability. Hell, I didn't doubt her electability. I thought for sure we would level up and elect

a qualified person for the job, and not a slimy, filthy, felonious, hideously unqualified spunkbasket. I simply underestimated the number of slimy, filthy, hideously unqualified spunkbaskets we had in this country who wanted one of their own in the Oval Office.

Until the vast majority of Trump's supporters finally ooze their way to that great garbage-strewn slag heap, deep, deep underground, we're going to need Democratic candidates who tick the 'electable' box as much as the 'capable' box.

[Ocelot II]

30. Nailed it. Enough people looked at a despicable convicted felon/fraudster/sex pest/

Last edited Sun Jun 8, 2025, 04:00 PM - Edit history (1)

all-around shitty excuse for a human being and decided, "He's my guy!" and enough other people just said "Meh" and didn't vote at all, to get his fat ugly orange ass installed in the Oval Office -twice. In other words, we live in a country in which slightly more than half of the population are some combination of dumb, mean, ignorant, and/or apathetic. The mean, dumb ones are hopeless and Democrats don't seem to have been able to light fires under the butts of the apathetic ones. Maybe it's because too many Democrats have been sitting around with their dicks in their hands wondering why they can't get the mean, dumb ones to vote for them.

[indigovalley]

12. I support my governor for 2028 and I realize I may be in the minority

But I don't think he was significantly hurt by the loss plus he's not tied to the Biden administration like Kamala. I think he is someone people would give a second chance because he is different from other candidates, very authentic, and not afraid to fight back. I think he should at least enter the primaries to have his voice heard. Although I like Kamala I don't think she was the most effective campaigner although I realize she may have been impacted by her campaign advisors. I personally think she would have an uphill battle to be chosen as the nominee for 2028 as the party will likely want to move on. I think that she should remain active in politics however. She might be a good choice for Governor of California as many have mentioned. She would be on the forefront of fighting against Trump and from a very powerful state. Also they have never had a woman governor so she would be a trailblazer. That would be awesome!

[ShazzieB]

46. I would happily support Tim or my governor, JB Pritzker.

I think they're both awesome.

[indigovalley]

59. I like Pitzker also...

but I anticipate that Andy Beshear and Pete Buttigieg are the ones favored at this moment--but come 2028 who knows.

[jalan48]

14. It was nonstop, "She lost because of racism and sexism" here on DU for months after the election.

We'd be fools to put ourselves through it again.

[Callie1979]

18. And the ignoring of the realities of the election are STILL pushed aside.

The other day several insisted that I was wrong about the border being a disaster for 3 years being one of the top reasons for the loss.

[ShazzieB]

47. To be honest..

I'm really not clear on whether the border actually was a "disaster," or if that was just another one of Trump's lies.

Either way, far too many people definitely believed it was, and those people voted for Trump. But was it, really? Who says it was, other than Trump? I'd really like to know.

[Callie1979]

55. Here are the stats.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-can-the-data-tell-us-about-unauthorized-immigration/

Just Google the stories 60 Mins did on it. Yes, it was a huge problem.

[ShazzieB]

61. Thanks.

[BannonsLiver]

17. No thanks.

Im not interested in 4-8 years of Vance or Don Jr.

[Fla_Democrat]

19. Well, if she wins the primary

Well, if she wins the primary, she can pick who ever she wants (provided they meet the Constitutional requirements) to run as her V.P.

So....

[Celerity]

24. pass nt

[0rganism]

25. Ticket? Sorry, that show's over, pulled up the tent stakes, and left town. Probably won't be back for a decade or more

We're in the deep shit now, and as your sig line suggests, we won't be voting our way out of it.

[gulliver]

26. I'm looking for something like Newsom/Emanuel

We need some tough-minded people to deal with the mess we're going to inherit. Harris had her chance. I voted for her, but she didn't win. Let's let someone else head the ticket next time.

I have to disagree about the messaging. In our messaging, Harris and Walz did try to ditch so-called "woke," but they weren't able to. By 2028, our message needs to be clear about the new meaning of wokeness. We need to oppose it, not just say nothing about it. (Alas for the term. It once meant something good, but it doesn't anymore.)

Healthcare, opportunity, climate responsibility, the need for men and women of every sort to get along. Core issues like that are important. Distractions bye-bye in 2028 imo.

[Nimble_Idea]

70. oh man, this sounds a lot like .....can't quite put my finger on it

I'm glad people out here advocating for the anti-woke movement lol

[dlk]

28. Let's not put our heads in the sand when it comes to the deep vein of sexism and misogyny that runs through America

It downed Hillary’s candidacy, arguably the most qualified candidate ever to run. It downed Harris’ candidacy, as well. We live in a country where women do not have equal protection under the law. As wonderful as a woman president might be, sadly, America is not there, yet.

[Sewa]

29. Kamala has a Doug Emhoff problem

In case people have forgotten.

Trump announces deal with law firm that employs Doug Emhoff

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/01/politics/willkie-farr-gallagher-trump-law-firm-deal

[milestogo]

44. Didn't he resign after that?

[orleans]

76. not that i'm aware of nt

[Fiendish Thingy]

32. Harris will not be the nominee again

Trump won, and the sooner that sad reality is accepted, the sooner one can face the current threat and challenges and fight to win in2026.

[colorado_ufo]

41. Whether he cheated or won legitimately, he is in the office of the President.

Out job is to get him out.

[questionseverything]

64. As obama said," we have to beat them so badly there is no doubt "

[Hieronymus Phact]

33. No way

They had their shot.
It's the Top Job, You only get 1 chance to fail.

[NH Ethylene]

34. Let's start with a competitive primary and go from there.

We need to see who is out there and who will be most electable.

[PermatexNo.2]

35. Adlai Stevenson lost twice because America chose a "war hero" over an "egg head", so there's that.

He even had a great sense of humor, saying "Egg heads of the world unite, you only have your yolks to lose".

[tritsofme]

36. Harris did the best she could, given the circumstances. However, nominating her again would be utter insanity.

We’re not going to be doing that.

[Midwestern Democrat]

75. To be honest, I think the situation Harris was in - the emergency replacement nominee - made her politically stronger

than she would have been in normal circumstances. When Biden dropped out and she became the emergency replacement, she immediately got the kind of temporary "unearned popularity" that Vice Presidents like Truman and LBJ got in the immediate aftermath of taking over for a deceased president - that would not happen if she tried to get the nomination the standard way - running in the primaries against other competitors.

[JanMichael]

37. The anti trans ads were on 24/7 in NC in 2024

Over and over with the spot where Harris defends prison hormonal therapy or something like that in an interview. Then some HS or college volleyball scene to wrap it up.

That's what killed us.

That and stupid people that kept saying they needed to know more about what she was going to do about various policies. Like these dumb fucks have any idea.

[ShazzieB]

49. I suspect those anti trans ads were running in a lot of places.

I have a dear friend who lives in Arkansas, and although she voted for Harris, i could tell that she must have heard a lot of anti trans propaganda somewhere. She voted Harris because she can't stand Trump, but she was very upset about the issue of "men" (i.e., trans women) in women's sports, to an extent that surprised me. I suspect she probably saw some ads like the ones you described.

[Polybius]

82. They were even run here in NYC

Musk's money helped pay for it, no doubt.

[LudwigPastorius]

38. We need to run someone who is like a younger version of Wesley Clark.

Pete Buttigieg is close to that, but I fear that half of the electorate would never vote for a gay president.

[ShazzieB]

52. I have the same fear, about Pete.

It sucks, because he'd be great, but I fear the homophobia in this country is still too rabid for him to have a chance.

[WarGamer]

39. Great tickets don't lose...

We need a vigorous Primary in 28... may the BEST advance to the General.

[mvd]

40. They would have made a great President and VP

What could have been makes me very sad to this day. They appealed to me a lot and I thought they were good candidates. What happened is probably a mix of misogyny, racism, being Biden’s VP (makes no sense that Biden was unpopular but that is the reality) and little time. I think a full primary next time (if still free elections) is best.

[thought crime]

43. By 2028 Kamala could be the best candidate

There is a long time to go, and by 2028 the country may be suffering heavy Trump fatigue, Vance fatigue, MAGA fatigue. The country may have had its fill of toxic masculinity as these alpha boys make a mess. By 2028 Republicans may be running Kristi Noem.

I'm hopeful for AOC, but I would be happy to see Kamala run again. She is a Happy Warrior, smart as a whip, and she does the homework. My guess is that she will not run, but that would be our loss.

AOC, Crockett 2028! or Kamala, AOC 2028! or Harris, Crockett 2028! or Crockett, Anybody 2028! or whatever, whoever (but a little younger please?).

[RandomNumbers]

57. I think you are underestimating the misogyny in the electorate.

No way we win with a 2 woman ticket.

Just because it sucks doesn't mean it isn't real.

[Beartracks]

48. And a lot of people think of presidential elections as a retail choice. That is...

... when they say, " I don't really like either option, so I'm not going to vote," they act like they can leave the store without buying something. They need to get it in their heads that THEY ARE GETTING ONE OF THE OPTIONS regardless, and then determine which option will make them groan "aww, shit" the least on the first Wednesday of November and vote accordingly to get their 2 cents in.

============

[milestogo]

50. They need to understand that this is your power

and its a tragedy to waste it.

[SSJVegeta]

51. NO

[DenaliDemocrat]

53. No

I’m sorry. A mixed race woman from California doesn’t play well to the Midwest crowd. We need candidates who can win

[ShazzieB]

54. As much I love Kamala and Tim, I'm another no.

It pains me to say it, because i was absolutely crazy about both of them, and I think they ran a great campaign under the circumstances. Unfortunately, it would take a lot to convince me that this racist, sexist country is ready to elect a woman potus, much less a woman of color. It makes me mad as hell to say that, because I always thought (or at least hoped) we would have a woman president in my lifetime, but enough racist, sexist voters showed their true colors last fall to make think this just isn't the time.

Harris-Walz were a dream team, imo, but the dream did not come true, and it's time to move on. As others here have said, I think there needs to be an open primary so the contenders can show their stuff to the voters, and the candidate for potus needs to be based on that. In the meantime, we need to focus on flipping as many Congressional seats as possible in next year's midterms.

[CTyankee]

56. I was absolutely convinced they could win. Like you, I loved both of them. Now I wonder what on earth I was thinking...

I'm 85 and I don't think there will ever be a woman American president. It's SO depressing!

[Polybius]

83. What's crazy is that before last July, a huge amount of DUers said that she couldn't win

But once she became the nominee, it reversed. My opinion didn't change on what the likely outcome would be, so why did so many others do a 180?

[MichMan]

107. Many people had resigned themselves that Pres. Biden was likely going to lose

Once he withdrew for Harris there was a renewed optimism.

[benpollard]

58. Whitmer is a better option

[Nimble_Idea]

69. yeah, my best bet too. i especially loved the covering of the face while with twump.

[anamnua]

60. ''I don't think the problem is our candidates or our party or our messaging.''

I think the problem is that Americans are so dumbed down by social media and bad tv that they can no longer make intelligent choices. I have no idea how to fix that. But I don't think we do that by dumbing down our party for people who only relate to celebrities and don't care the least bit about democracy.

Some kids take an adult's word for it that sticking your finger in a naked flame is not a good idea. Others have to find out the hard way.

[Scrivener7]

62. Won't win. There are too many racists and sexists inside the house

[WSHazel]

63. It would be nice if Democrats would stop validating Trump talking points

Harris/Walz would be an excellent ticket, and a lot better than Trump. If another option comes along, maybe we support that. But reading a thread of 50+ posts where so many are regurgitating Trump talking points for why Trump won is exhausting.

[Melon]

99. You know what else is exhausting...being gagged on a forum when trying to discuss who the best candidate

for the future is. There were a ton of voices on DU saying “ Please no” to Harris prior to her being chosen. Then the party picked her without a primary, so we fell in line vocally and with money.

Now we are going for round two of the same insanity but we can’t share our opinion because you deem it a Trump talking point to discuss the best candidates? Trump would like nothing more as well as the GOP for us to listen to the minority of voices on DU saying to run Harris again. But we can’t say that I guess because it’s restricted…..

I like Mark Cuban someplace on the ticket. He’s business savvy, a strong democrat, respected, and makes data driven decisions.

[Captain Stern]

66. The definition of insanity is.....well, we all know the rest of that quote. n/t

[cadoman]

89. and yet Krasnov is in office, and the quote is wrong

Insane:

Of, exhibiting, or afflicted with mental derangement. Not used in psychiatric diagnosis.

Characteristic of or associated with persons who are mentally deranged.

[pinkstarburst]

67. Has nothing to do with capable

The country already had the opportunity to weigh in on Harris-Walz.

They said no.

We can get angry and upset and say how it's because of racism, sexism, because Harris has never had a strong following of her own (she never placed well in the 2020 primary), or because Biden made a huge mistake refusing to acknowledge he needed to drop out of the race and waiting until the last second to do so. All of these things are true. In the end, none of them matter.

The country had a chance to vote for this ticket. They said they didn't want that ticket in the white house.

We would be very foolish to try to jam that ticket down their throats again. If we're going to do that, why not just run Hillary again? Why not run Al Gore?

We need to move on to new candidates, preferably candidates that the democratic party has a chance to weigh in on during the primary process. That will generate more voters on our end, which was a problem in 2024, but also new candidates that don't make the country feel like they don't really like either option and are forced to choose (which I think was how many felt with Biden/Trump for sure, and some also felt with Harris/Trump.)

[Nimble_Idea]

68. tesler crypto bros out here crying, but Kamala will win the primary and be the nominee

don't care how much target shoppn they gone do.

[Raine]

71. NO ... 👎nt

[PennRalphie]

72. It was the economy.

No, not that it was bad. The economy was booming. For whatever reason, the consultants advising them chose not to talk about it. I still can’t figure that out. Here in PA, there was zero talk from Harris/Walz about the great economy we had here.

Now of course, the tariffs and the threat of more tariffs are making everyone cautious. We would never have these ridiculous tariffs had they been elected.

[cadoman]

90. top level metrics were good but at ground level things have been rough for a long time

Stock and real estate booms only help people who have stocks and real estate. An increasingly small % of the public does.

Wages and prices of basic goods are what most voters equate with a good economy (i.e. low prices and high wages). Directionally both wages and goods prices have been going the wrong direction for a long time, to the point where even partners with full-time jobs struggle to accumulate a bit of savings.

At a minimum, that pain needs to be acknowledged, even if there is no plan. As silly as it sounded, Krasnov being willing to mention eggs and groceries went a long way on that, and it's hard to punch on that topic when you're out of power, but we could have at least focused on the obstinate Repukelican House and Senators more.

[William769]

73. Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

[Polybius]

74. She would have to make it through the primaries this time

Gavin will be extremely tough for her to beat, among many others such as Shapiro and Beshear. She won't even win Cali with Gavin running.

[Justice Brandeis]

77. Ok fine. What would they do differently a second time around?

How would they do things differently to produce a different election outcome than 2024?

[orleans]

78. nope nope and nope nt

[Polybius]

80. And if they lose to Vance/DeSantis?

Should we run them again in 2032?

[AnyFunctioningAdult]

84. No. Thank you

But, I am open to a crazy idea. How about we hold a primary and the person with the most votes gets to run? If she gets the most votes, so be it.

[tavernier]

88. What a novel idea!

[madville]

92. Let's see if she can win a primary

I don’t think she can, there’s nothing particularly exciting or interesting about her message.

[Nonnia Bisnez]

94. No More Boomers!

And I'm a boomer.

[Peacetrain]

95. Sooooo you think someone who is 60 years old should not be President???

Well isn't that just precious.. you put the best person in ..

[Nonnia Bisnez]

96. Someone who would be 60 in 2028

would be a boomer.

[Peacetrain]

97. 60 today.. 63 in 28 question is the same

[Peacetrain]

100. The Baby Boom generation is 1946 to 1964.. the youngest boomers turned turned 60 last year

Soooo the youngest boomer will be 61 this year.. 64 in 2028 .. still question is the same.. if the best person is 64 he or she will still be a boomer, I would not vote for someone less capable because of age.. This is how we ended up with Trump.. He is only a few years younger than Biden.. and certainly Biden would have been a much better choice.

[Nonnia Bisnez]

102. Yea, my bad.

But we already had Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. It's time for Gen X and even older millennials to have a turn

[Peacetrain]

106. Hey if a Gen X or a Millennial is the best candidate I will be the first in line to support them

President Biden was the last of the Silent Generation.. their time in office is pretty much done.. and Boomers have another couple of elections they could easily fill if they are the best candidate and then they are done.. Gen X and Millennials are well on their way to leading us, the future is all theirs' in leadership....

[LetMyPeopleVote]

101. I would vote for this ticket again

[betsuni]

105. Charismatic, intelligent, inspiring Joyful Warrior, one of the most progressive senators --

lots of people working hard to turn her into another caricature.

[Patton French]

109. Regardless, the primary will decide.

If a robust primary is "shopping around" then we certainly need to go shopping around.