Podcast Summary: The TJRS Interview – Inside Kamala Harris' 107 Day Presidential Run

Podcast: The Joy Reid Show
Host: Joy-Ann Reid
Guest: Former Vice President Kamala Harris
Aired: September 23, 2025
Episode length: ~36 minutes

Overview

In this special episode, Joy-Ann Reid interviews former Vice President Kamala Harris about her bestselling memoir, "107 Days," which covers her unprecedented and historic presidential run after President Biden’s late withdrawal from the race. The discussion explores Harris’s personal journey, insights into her relationship with "Biden world," reflections on race, loyalty, the state of American democracy, and the unique pressures she faced as the first Black woman to be the frontrunner in a major party’s presidential race. The interview delivers intimate behind-the-scenes details, candid regrets, and tactical political analyses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Processing the 107 Days: Writing as Reflection

[02:08–04:03]

• Harris describes the challenge of writing about the election and her campaign, admitting she only processed the experience after it ended:
  • "It really wasn't until I got home that I just began a very slow and difficult process of reflection... reconstructing in my mind the joy, the pain, the challenge, and most of all, the stakes."
    (Kamala Harris, 02:30)

2. Loyalty and Its Limits in "Biden World"

[04:03–08:16]

• Reid probes Harris on the "theme of loyalty"—her steadfast defense of President Biden, and whether that loyalty was reciprocated.
• Harris emphasizes that the book is not about Biden per se, but about her experiences and the unprecedented circumstances:
  • "I wasn't running against Joe Biden. I was running against Donald Trump."
    (Kamala Harris, 09:11)
• She acknowledges the toll of loyalty, including how it impacted her campaign and personal life.

3. The Challenge of Shining as Vice President

[08:16–09:11]

• Joy notes that Harris was often prevented from "shining," suggesting the White House resisted her being too prominent:
  • "If you shine as vice president, he is dimmed. If your accomplishments are elevated, it's seen as diminishing his... that makes that 107 days harder."
    (Joy Reid, 08:30)

4. The Threat of Authoritarianism & Eroding Norms

[10:47–13:39]

• Reid raises the current state of the media under Trump II (e.g., Jimmy Kimmel's suspension).
• Harris argues this is not just "I told you so," but a fundamental assault on democracy:
  • "They're using fear and the threat of fear to silence their critics... The level of my disappointment with what we have seen in terms of the failure to stand up in the face of this... is extraordinary."
    (Kamala Harris, 12:13)

5. The Debates, Messaging, and Missed Opportunities

[14:18–17:13]

• Discussion centers on Harris’s responses during campaign appearances, particularly avoiding criticism of Biden, which she now partially regrets:
  • "Every prosecutor, every lawyer has three closing arguments: the one you prepare to give, the one you give, and the one you should have given."
    (Kamala Harris, 14:57)
  • Harris reflects that she should have better articulated the differences between herself and Biden, especially generational and strategic contrasts.

6. Race, Identity, and the Pressure of Representation

[17:13–19:53]

• They address how Harris’s identity as a Black woman and daughter of immigrants was constantly scrutinized and weaponized, including attacks from Donald Trump:
  • "I was born black. I'm a die black."
    (Kamala Harris, 17:40)
• Harris details balancing substantive policy arguments with the extra burden of racialized identity politics.

7. Palestine, Protest, and Moral Accountability

[21:49–24:47]

• Harris responds to criticisms about her and the campaign’s handling of pro-Palestinian protestors and Gaza:
  • "We had tools and levers that I think we did not exercise... what's happening there right now is tragic. It's tragic."
    (Kamala Harris, 23:01, 23:55)
• She asserts Trump’s policies gave Netanyahu "carte blanche" and highlights her earlier use of the word "starvation" to describe the Gaza crisis—unpopular with the White House.

8. Transfer of Power, Trump, and Vance

[24:50–28:06]

• Harris details the "Jekyll and Hyde" nature of Trump’s calls post-election and the awkwardness with J.D. Vance and his wife during the transition:
  • "J.D. Vance is Vice President of the United States because Donald Trump is President... and chose a vice president who would sign off on whatever he did..."
    (Kamala Harris, 26:22)
• She frames these incidents as symptomatic of broader authoritarian shifts.

9. The Black Women’s Perspective: Recognition and Solidarity

[28:06–30:48]

• Reid directly names the particular pain and anger Black women felt at Harris’s treatment:
  • "Black women who read this book are going to read it a different way... they're gonna see these moments of disrespect... their own experience."
    (Joy Reid, 28:06)
• Harris offers hope, wanting the book to remind readers of collective power and resilience:
  • "Our spirit cannot be defeated. We will not allow that."
    (Kamala Harris, 30:47)

10. On the Failure of American Institutions and What Comes Next

[30:56–33:47]

• Harris critically reassesses her belief in making change from within the system, lamenting institutional collapse:
  • "I thought the guardrails would be stronger. I was wrong."
    (Joy Reid quoting Harris, 30:56)
• She doesn’t claim to have all answers but emphasizes continued resistance and the power of individual and collective action:
  • "I do know that we can never give up the fight, and it is always worth it... We have to remember the light that is in each of us, even in these moments of darkness."
    (Kamala Harris, 33:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Processing Loss and High Stakes
  “In reflecting on the 107 days, it was about reconstructing in my mind the joy, the pain, the challenge, and most of all, the stakes.”
  (Kamala Harris, 02:30)
• On Loyalty and Disappointment
  “You were a loyal soldier... that loyalty, to me, in reading this book, you seem to be unpacking that it was not returned.”
  (Joy Reid, 04:36)
• On Missed Opportunities
  “Every prosecutor, every lawyer has three closing arguments: the one you prepare to give, the one you give, and the one you should have given.”
  (Kamala Harris, 14:57)
• On Identity Attacks
  “I was born black. I'm a die black.”
  (Kamala Harris, 17:40)
• On Institutional Collapse
  “I thought the guardrails would be stronger. I was wrong.”
  (Joy Reid quoting Harris, 30:56)
• Message of Hope
  “Our spirit cannot be defeated. We will not allow that.”
  (Kamala Harris, 30:47) “We have to remember the light that is in each of us, even in these moments of darkness. Especially in these moments of darkness... don't let them extinguish our light.”
  (Kamala Harris, 33:47)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Writing the Book: Processing the Loss: 02:08–04:03
• On Loyalty and Biden World: 04:03–08:16
• Biden vs. Harris Narrative: 08:16–09:11
• Rise of Authoritarianism, Free Speech: 10:47–13:39
• Debate, Messaging, and Regrets: 14:18–17:13
• Identity Attacks and Community Connection: 17:13–19:53
• Handling Gaza and Protest: 21:49–24:47
• Transfer of Power/Trump-Vance Encounters: 24:50–28:06
• The Black Women’s Perspective: 28:06–30:48
• Final Reflections: Guardrails and Individual Action: 30:56–34:42

Tone and Atmosphere

The conversation is candid, urgent, and at times raw—reflecting disappointment, frustration, and moments of inspiration. Harris is both vulnerable and resolute, grappling with personal and national loss while rallying hope and collective power. Joy Reid provides a direct, empathetic, and incisive interview, ensuring the emotional stakes are clear, especially for Black women and other marginalized audiences.

Conclusion

This episode is an essential listen for anyone interested in the aftershocks of a pivotal election, the inside realities of the Democratic Party, and the lived experience of barrier-breaking leadership. Harris’s memoir and this interview serve as both warning and rallying cry: democracy is precarious, but “our spirit cannot be defeated.”