Listen to “Kamala: Next in Line”

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Kamala: Next in Line"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Deadline: White House
• Host: Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC
• Episode: Kamala: Next in Line
• Release Date: October 9, 2024

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Introduction

In the "Kamala: Next in Line" episode of Deadline: White House, hosted by Nicolle Wallace, listeners are taken on an in-depth journey through Kamala Harris's early political career. Drawing from original content produced in collaboration with MSNBC and Wondery, the episode delves into the pivotal moments and relationships that shaped Harris into the prominent political figure she is today.

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Origins of Kamala Harris's Campaign

The episode begins with Joy Reid reminiscing about the original 2020 podcast series, highlighting its significance in portraying the stories that molded Kamala Harris’s political persona.

Joy Reid [00:03]:
"Back in 2020, as then Senator Kamala Harris was running alongside Joe Biden for the White House, MSNBC and Wondery teamed up on a podcast called Kamala Next in Line. It was hosted by yours truly and told the stories that shaped the woman we know today."

Fast forward to the period leading up to an election, Rebecca Prozan recounts her initial contact with Harris as she steps into the role of campaign manager.

Rebecca Prozan [00:56]:
"Around the same time Gary Delanis met Kamala Harris, Rebecca Prozan got a phone."

Kamala Harris [01:01]:
"Call and you know, the call that changed my life. Senator Harris called and was like, look, I'm looking for a campaign manager. Are you interested?"

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Assembling the Campaign Team

Despite limited personal acquaintance, Prozan recognized Harris's potential, especially after her announcement to run for district attorney. The nascent campaign team, including political consultant Jim Stern, convenes in a modest office setup.

Kamala Harris [01:17]:
"San Francisco political scene is literally like high school."

Kamala Harris [01:31]:
"But it was like a redone basement office. So it was an open, like there was maybe three desks in there. And then we were like in the sitting. There was like a little sitting area."

During their initial meeting, Harris articulates her confidence in securing a runoff position despite low polling numbers.

Kamala Harris [02:26]:
"But Fazio was sort of seen as too far to the right for San Francisco... People thought Kamala was fierce. Like, they knew she was serious. They knew she was a talented trial attorney."

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Campaign Challenges and Strategies

The campaign faced significant hurdles, including entrenched incumbents and strong opponents like Bill Fazio, who held more name recognition and funding. Kamala's strategy focused on portraying herself as a competent and relentless candidate capable of overcoming these obstacles.

Kamala Harris [02:36]:
"She was running against an entrenched incumbent who was extremely well known in both San Francisco political circles and was a progressive district attorney and had... some pretty good missteps and everybody thought that he was very vulnerable."

Prozan shares her realization of the daunting task ahead as the campaign approached the runoff threshold.

Kamala Harris [03:06]:
"I'm at 6%. And I was like, well, what am I supposed to do with that?"

Kamala Harris [03:23]:
"She was like, just get me in the runoff, Rebecca. I know I can win if you get me in the runoff."

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Ground Campaign and Volunteer Mobilization

With limited resources, the campaign adopted grassroots strategies. Prozan recounts setting up campaign headquarters amidst construction chaos in the Bayview neighborhood, improvising makeshift stages, and mobilizing volunteers for phone banking.

Kamala Harris [04:47]:
"There was no stage. There was no money to make a stage. And so I... took my coffee table and took it to the campaign because it was like a crappy coffee table that was from my dad's medical office."

A standout flyer illustrated Harris's commitment to diversity and change, contrasting her image against previous predominantly white male district attorneys.

Kamala Harris [05:24]:
"On one side of the mailer, it was all white males, and you turned it over and it was, you know, San Francisco has a possibility of changing the landscape, so to speak."

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Political Alliances and Opposition

A significant aspect of the campaign was Harris's relationship with former Mayor Willie Brown. Despite their past personal relationship, political alliances played a crucial role, with Brown endorsing Harris over Fazio.

Gary Delanis [06:14]:
"So he wanted us to endorse her rather than Fazio, but our ties with Bill Fazio had run too deep."

Opponents leveraged Harris's past relationship with Brown to question her integrity, prompting Harris to adopt a strategy of positive campaigning over negative attacks.

Kamala Harris [07:58]:
"I want to make a commitment to you that my campaign is not going to be about negative attacks."

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Election Night and Aftermath

As election night unfolded, the results were tight but favored Harris's entry into the runoff. Celebrations ensued, marking a significant milestone in her political ascent.

Kamala Harris [08:37]:
"Oh, no, there was a party. There was a party."

Despite initial support favoring Harris as a second choice, her leadership qualities shone through, leading to her eventual victory.

Gary Delanis [08:50]:
"We called her in and we said, okay, you're our candidate."

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Final Campaign Debates and Strategies

In the concluding weeks, Harris focused on differentiating herself from incumbent Terrence Hallinan by addressing key issues such as the backlog of murder cases in the district attorney's office.

Terrence Hallinan [09:22]:
"We have an absolute backlog of cases sitting, waiting trial defendants... because of the district attorney's inability or incapacity to prosecute those cases."

Harris's approach emphasized efficiency and leadership, contrasting sharply with Hallinan's criticisms of the current system.

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Conclusion

"Kamala: Next in Line" provides a comprehensive look into the strategic maneuvers, personal relationships, and resilience that propelled Kamala Harris from a local district attorney race to national prominence. Through firsthand accounts and insightful discussions, the episode underscores the foundational experiences that prepared Harris for her future roles in the U.S. political landscape.

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Notable Quotes:

• Kamala Harris [01:01]:
  "The call that changed my life."

• Kamala Harris [02:36]:
  "People thought Kamala was fierce. Like, they knew she was serious. They knew she was a talented trial attorney."

• Kamala Harris [07:58]:
  "I want to make a commitment to you that my campaign is not going to be about negative attacks."

• Terrence Hallinan [09:22]:
  "Each one represents a life."

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This summary encapsulates the critical moments and strategies from Kamala Harris’s district attorney campaign, providing listeners with a clear understanding of her political evolution and the foundational experiences that contributed to her rise in American politics.

Transcript

[Joy Reid]

Hi, everyone, it's Joy Reid. Back in 2020, as then Senator Kamala Harris was running alongside Joe Biden for the White House, MSNBC and Wondery teamed up on a podcast called Kamala Next in Line. It was hosted by yours truly and told the stories that shaped the woman we know today. Now, with about a month to go until election Day, we are resharing that series again, but only as a special treat for our MSNBC Premium subscrib. So if you haven't signed up for Premium yet, now's the time. When you do, you'll get MSNBC's original podcasts ad free on Apple Podcasts, plus early access to select content and monthly bonus content like Kamala Next in Line. And to give you a taste of the benefits, I wanted to share an excerpt from the first episode here.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Around the same time Gary Delanis met Kamala Harris, Rebecca Prozan got a phone.

[Kamala Harris]

Call and you know, the call that changed my life. Senator Harris called and was like, look, I'm looking for a campaign manager. Are you interested?

[Rebecca Prozan]

She didn't know Kamala well, but she knew her reputation and that she'd recently announced her run for district attorney.

[Kamala Harris]

San Francisco political scene is literally like high school.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Rebecca had recently chaired a local election campaign and had worked in Willie Brown's office for five years. She hadn't been looking to run another campaign, but she agreed to come in and meet with Kamala and her political consultant.

[Kamala Harris]

But it was like a redone basement office. So it was an open, like there was maybe three desks in there. And then we were like in the sitting. There was like a little sitting area.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Kamala was there along with Jim Stearns, the consultant.

[Kamala Harris]

I don't feel like I had to sell myself as much as they had to sell it to me because I think they knew, they knew that they needed a day to day campaign manager to like tie all the pieces together.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Rebecca listened.

[Kamala Harris]

We sat in Jim Stern's office and they were explaining how Senator Harris was going to win.

[Rebecca Prozan]

She could see the campaign had a lot going for it.

[Kamala Harris]

She was running against an entrenched incumbent who was extremely well known in both San Francisco political circles and was a progressive district attorney and had, wasn't the best manager and had some pretty good missteps and everybody thought that he was very vulnerable.

[Rebecca Prozan]

On the other hand, the other candidate in the race, Bill Fazio, had already run against Hallinan twice before. He had more money and more name recognition than Kamala did.

[Kamala Harris]

But Fazio was sort of seen as too far to the right for San Francisco. Now, that would mean, you know, in anywhere else, he would be seen as a. As a fairly progressive prosecutor. Not a full progressive prosecutor, but people thought Kamala was fierce. Like, they knew she was serious. They knew she was a talented trial attorney. But people questioned whether or not she could actually get it over. The finish line. Was this right time, right place.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Then they shared the current polling numbers.

[Kamala Harris]

And so we sit down in the office, and she's like, I'm at 6%. And I was like, well, what the am I supposed to do with that?

[Rebecca Prozan]

The election was just two months away. Rebecca was shocked.

[Kamala Harris]

What's the plan? Do you have phone banks? Do you have a field operation? Do you have, you know, what's the mail strategy?

[Rebecca Prozan]

Pamela looked at her.

[Kamala Harris]

She was like, just get me in the runoff, Rebecca. I know I can win if you get me in the runoff.

[Rebecca Prozan]

And something about her confidence was impressive. Besides, Rebecca thought, it's a win win situation.

[Kamala Harris]

I was like, I mean, I can't lose, right? So she loses, and I'm like, she was at 6%, and she wins, and the city's gonna be a lot better off because of the talent and the leadership that she brings to the table, because we needed sensible prosecution.

[Rebecca Prozan]

At the time, Rebecca left Jim Stern's office convinced she'd take the position. She liked Kamala, and she could see she was a talented candidate.

[Kamala Harris]

Honestly, at the time, I did not see that she was going to be an attorney general, a senator, a vice presidential nominee. Did I think she had the talent and the chops to be all those things? Absolutely.

[Rebecca Prozan]

But at that point, she hadn't been elected to anything yet. First, they would have to get to the runoff of this local city election, and even that seemed like a long shot. A week later, Rebecca was standing in the Bay view neighborhood of San Francisco.

[Kamala Harris]

3803Rd street in the Bayview, right by the post office on Evans.

[Rebecca Prozan]

There was construction work on the new light rail all around, so the streets were filled with dust. Rebecca had hustled to get everything set up in less than a week. Some things had to be improvised.

[Kamala Harris]

There was no stage. There was no money to make a stage. And so I. I actually took my coffee table and took it to the campaign because it was like a crappy coffee table that was from my dad's medical office. So sort of like high enough, but not too high, and they all stood on it.

[Rebecca Prozan]

It was a start. Soon the headquarters were buzzing with volunteers coming through to pick up campaign flyers. One flyer in particular stood out. It had A photo of kamala on one side, and on the other, a photo of all the previous DAs.

[Kamala Harris]

And so on the one side of the mailer, it was all white males, and you turned it over and it was, you know, San Francisco has a possibility of changing the landscape, so to speak.

[Rebecca Prozan]

As Rebecca worked to get kamala into the runoffs, one question began to surface. Kamala's relationship with the mayor.

[Kamala Harris]

Willie brown was an extremely popular mayor with a very vocal minority of people who disliked him or thought that he was crooked.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Kamala and Willie brown had dated back in the mid-90s. Their relationship was over by the time she decided to run for district attorney. But the two still had a close political relationship.

[Gary Delanis]

So he was still very much a proponent of kamala harris and very much a backer of her career.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Gary says, in fact, Willie brown would call him up.

[Gary Delanis]

So he wanted us to endorse her rather than fazio, but our ties with bill fazio had run too deep.

[Rebecca Prozan]

The idea that kamala had gotten a helping hand by once dating the older Willie brown became a line of attack for her political opponents.

[Kamala Harris]

Did it come up? Yes. Did we attack it head on? Yes. Did I think it was unfair? Yes. No one likes to be judged by.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Who they're dating, unfair or not. It came up at a campaign event in the city's noe valley neighborhood. Callanan was there. Fazia was there. Kamala was there. Rebecca wasn't.

[Kamala Harris]

This is where I have to tell you my philosophy on debates. Very few people actually show up to debate that are undecided. So kamala and I would fight about this the entire race, where she would go to these debates, and it would be a big thing. And she would tell me, like, I had nobody there, and terrence had, you know, 50 people there, and Bill Fazio had 75 people there. And I was like, that is amazing. You know what I did? I had 30 people phone banking for you.

[Rebecca Prozan]

For weeks, as the race had tightened, they had prepared for negative attacks from her opponents. And one question in particular. At the noe valley event, someone in the audience got up and asked Kamala how she would act independently of the mayor. Kamala walked over to halanan and told the audience that he had attacked bill Fazio for getting caught at a massage parlor. Then she walked over to fazio and pointed out that he had attacked halanan over a scandal in which two of his employees had been caught having sex in his office. Then she delivered the punchline. I want to make a commitment to you that my campaign is not going to be about negative attacks.

[Gary Delanis]

Bill Fazio was a nice guy and a smart guy, but he wasn't one of these guys that's gonna light up a room, if you know what I mean. And Helen Ann was just a boob. So, I mean, Helena never had any communication skills, so she kicked her in the debates, and that's what got her there into the runoff.

[Rebecca Prozan]

On election night, 2003, the results came in. They were close, but Rebecca had done what Kamala had asked. She was through to the runoff.

[Michael Krasny]

Can I ask, is she someone who would have wanted to celebrate to the runoff? Like, was there, like, a little bit of a party, or was it kind of just like, oh, no, we're digging deeper. Like, it's not over till it's over.

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, no, there was a party. There was a party.

[Rebecca Prozan]

Bill Fazio, the candidate Gary and the police officers union had backed, was out. Still, Gary says Kamala seemed like a good second choice.

[Gary Delanis]

We called her in and we said, okay, you're our. You're our candidate.

[Jim Hammer]

From KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, Michael. I'm Michael Krasny. Good morning, and welcome to this morning's Forum program. The race for San Francisco District Attorney is down to two candidates. The incumbent Terrence Hallinan and challenger Kamala Harris. We'll hear from both of them.

[Rebecca Prozan]

The final few weeks of the election campaign were intense, but with just two candidates in the race, it was easier to draw a contrast between incumbent and challenger.

[Kamala Harris]

Everyone just had a fall in line.

[Jim Hammer]

You've also charged in your campaign that there's a backlog of murder cases, and you've put the number at about 50 awaiting trial. And Jim Hammer from the DA's office said it's closer to 40. And they are relentlessly trying to clear their backlog. Let's get you on record on this.

[Terrence Hallinan]

Sure. As you know, Mike Hennessy, who is the sheriff of San Francisco, endorsed me recently. And one of the reasons he endorsed me, as he stated, is because we have an absolute backlog of cases sitting, waiting trial defendants, who some are waiting and have been sitting in the county jail for four or more years awaiting trial. And it is because of the district attorney's inability or incapacity to prosecute those cases that we see them just languishing. You know, each one represents a life. Michael.

[Joy Reid]

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