Former Vice President Kamala Harris said she could have predicted almost everything that has happened during what she called “a whirlwind nine-month presidency” of Donald Trump so far – except for one: the capitulation of universities, law firms and media corporations. Harris said she felt saddened by what she has witnessed recently, referring to media companies settling lawsuits and top universities paying hundreds of millions of dollars to resolve antisemitism claims.
“I always believed that if push came to shove, the titans of industry would be the guardians of our democracy,” Harris said Monday, Sept. 29. “I’ve been deeply, deeply disappointed in powerful people who are bending the knee at the foot of a tyrant.”
Harris’ comments came after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from his late-night talk show for six days by Disney-owned ABC. After his return, Trump called for NBC to fire Jimmy Fallon.
The Democratic nominee, who ran for president in 2024, spoke at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles with “I’ve Had It” podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan. The sold-out event was part of the promotional tour for her campaign memoir “107 Days,” published on Sept. 23.
In the book, Harris argues it was “reckless” for President Joe Biden to run again and writes that “he got tired.” She also contends she lost because she didn’t have enough time.
Harris devoted much of her talk to disinformation and misinformation from the current administration, which she called the most serious threat to democracy. She shared experiences from her recent trip to Washington, D.C., her first since the inauguration.
“Journalists are so scared right now,” Harris said. “They’re scared they will be fired, or they will be the subject of one of Trump’s tweets and that they and their families’ lives will be at risk. They said to me that this administration is trying to keep the truth from the American people.”
Harris also raised concerns about cuts to science, research and education. She cited the administration’s plans to scrap major satellite missions used for climate monitoring and predicting extreme weather. Harris noted the impact such cuts could have on communities across the country, including in California, which faces frequent wildfires.
The conversation around the Democratic Party’s future she described as “unproductive,” urging more discipline– though she didn’t provide any clues about her own future, whether in politics or not
“Enough with the savior complex – there’s not going to be a Messiah coming to save us,” Harris stated. “We’ve got a lot of stars in the party.”
Harris did not hold back when describing Trump, who she said is “going over his political enemies.”
“He is incompetent, unhinged and juvenile. He has a fragile ego and he is the president of the United States. This is a very bad combination,” she said. “Let’s not ever normalize what’s happening right now and get used to it.”
Among the audience — a majority of them women — two words came up repeatedly: hope and inspiration.
“I’m hoping that I will get a sense of hope for the future from this,” said attendee Karen Marx before the show. “We are living in very difficult times, and we all need a little bit of hope to keep going,” Marx said, wearing a blue “Karens for Kamala” t-shirt alongside her teacher colleague Karen Kafka.
Rebecca John and Paige Samlant said Harris has been such an inspiration for them as Black female attorneys.
“I would like to see her in office again,” John said. “In many ways, she embodies what a leader is, and a kind of leader we haven’t seen before.”
High school students Leo Wilson, Skye Hoffman and Gwen Karaba described Harris as simply “brat,” referencing a tweet by singer Charli XCX who called Harris “brat” in the summer of 2024. Charlie XCX has an album by the same name. All three wore custom-made shirts reading “incoming Discord call from Kamala Harris.” Karaba also had a brat necklace.
“I’m definitely hoping that she has some advice for us to survive the next four years,” Wilson said. “I’m excited to be in the same room as her.”
Briana Ford, a social media professional, said she appreciated Harris’ encouragement and her calls to fight back.
“Honestly, I would not fault her if she just disappeared and said she’s done her due diligence,” Ford said.
Chaka Cumberbatch, a first-generation daughter of immigrants, said hearing Harris’ words felt especially meaningful.
“I don’t think she realizes the enormity of what she represented, for Black people, for brown people, for first-generation Americans, for immigrants,” Cumberbatch said.