The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

Episode: VP Kamala Harris on Defeat, Democrats, and the Fight Ahead

Date: October 30, 2025

Overview

In this episode of The Weekly Show, Jon Stewart sits down for an in-depth conversation with former Vice President Kamala Harris following the release of her book "107 Days," which chronicles her brief but unprecedented 2024 presidential campaign. Together, they explore the aftermath of that campaign, dissect the challenges facing the Democratic Party and American democracy at large, and discuss the path forward amidst misinformation, voter distrust, and systemic obstacles. The tone throughout is frank, at times deeply personal, and filled with Stewart’s trademark humor and incisiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Impetus Behind "107 Days"

[03:07]

• Harris explains why she wrote the book:
  • To ensure her perspective is part of the historical record of a unique election.
  • To demystify the opaque political process for readers.
  • To shed light on challenges like party transitions, last-minute candidacies, and systematic campaign issues.
  • “It was important to me to make sure that my voice is present in the way those 107 days are talked about and written about.” — Kamala Harris

The Opaqueness of the System

[04:51]

• Harris emphasizes the lack of transparency in candidate selection and electioneering.
• Campaigns must address not just mis/disinformation but also the mistaken assumption that voters are “low information”; in reality, voters are often inundated with conflicting info.
• “Don’t start with the assumption that you’re working with a blank slate. People have information ... Are we working with the same information?” — Kamala Harris [06:30]

Campaigning in the Age of Misinformation

[05:21-08:12]

• Modern campaigns are ill-equipped for the scale of disinformation, especially via social media.
• Traditional canvassing methods are outdated, and campaigns must adapt to better understand and engage voters, not only through data but by genuinely listening.

Notable Quote

• “If we are assuming that we know everything they know based on the fact that we only watch CNN and MSNBC, we’re screwed.” — Jon Stewart [09:49]

Data, Listening, and Updating Campaign Strategies

[11:41-12:47]

• The Democratic Party, Harris says, must “upgrade our systems” for data gathering and engagement.
• Her book tour deliberately included Southern cities like Birmingham and Nashville, challenging assumptions about Democratic geographies.
• She reveals (for the first time publicly) that she’s been meeting privately with cross-sectional groups under 40 to simply ask, “How are you doing?” and listen.
  • [14:11] Harris: “When you give [people] a safe place to do it ... where it is okay to disagree ... People have a lot to say.”

What People Are Saying: Cost of Living & Social Media

[17:08-18:43]

• The number one concern across demographics, especially under 40, is cost of living: groceries, housing, childcare, future of work, mental health impacts of social media.
• “The number one concern, especially for people under the age of 40, is the cost of not only groceries, but housing.” — Kamala Harris [17:37]

Policy Reflection: Missed Priorities & Care Economy

[19:09-19:53]

• Harris reflects on what she would change:
  • She would have prioritized affordable childcare and the “care economy” before infrastructure and chips, arguing that it would have had an immediate impact post-pandemic.
  • “We should have done that first.” — Kamala Harris [19:53]

Trust Crisis: In Government and Between Citizens

[20:23-21:56]

• Harris diagnoses a “huge trust issue in America” — not just in government, but between citizens.
• Stewart and Harris both highlight how social media algorithms amplify fear and anger.
• “What can create fear more than you believe you are being attacked? ... One of the most primitive ... feelings that we have, that translates into action.” — Kamala Harris [22:25]

Democrats, Satisfaction, and Incrementalism

[25:37-31:06]

• Stewart presses Harris on whether Democrats are responsive enough to popular dissatisfaction with government and whether “competence is the antidote to fascism.”
• Harris bluntly admits: “We need to do better.” [26:41]
• They debate whether the party is trapped in defending past fixes (e.g., ACA) rather than pushing for system overhaul.
• “It should not satisfy us that we have accomplished incremental change. We should be completely pissed off about that.” — Kamala Harris [31:06]

Party Leadership and Focus

[32:54-35:28]

• Harris says the Democratic Party can’t just be anti-Trump — it must articulate clear, positive goals and not lose sight of “how we got here” and the apparatus sustaining Trumpism.
• “We cannot be a party that is so ... focused on the guy that’s currently in the White House that we are not paying attention to one, how we got here ... and two, understanding ... [the] apparatus.” — Kamala Harris

Governance, Process, and Accountability

[36:32-47:37]

• Harris criticizes process-bound thinking in government, calling for new metrics (ROI, deadlines) and an honest reckoning with both government’s failures and strengths.
• On rural broadband: “Taxpayers don’t feel like they get any value, that government has divorced money from value ... and that problem fundamentally has to be fixed.” — Jon Stewart [41:52]
• Harris suggests government must focus equally on implementation as well as policy and design, such as leveraging AI for administrative efficiency, without excluding real-world impact assessments.

Disruption vs. Destruction

[48:07-49:40]

• Harris distinguishes between needed disruption of outdated norms and destructive gestures, referencing Trump’s grandiosity versus real human needs (SNAP benefits).
• “Disruption has a very important role to play ... but destruction for the sake of some grand gesture ... without any plan ... Come on.” — Kamala Harris

2024 Campaign — Lessons & Self-Reflection

[50:08-58:52]

• Stewart suggests Harris “nailed” all traditional campaign targets, yet it wasn’t enough — raising questions about whether the “establishment complex” is adaptable.
• Harris attributes the election outcome to many factors, including time constraints, but especially the “infusion of resources going into mis and disinformation,” and the constraints of the party process itself.

Trust and the Burden of Implementation

[56:06-57:20]

• Restoring trust in government requires not just promising, but delivering — a challenge when cynicism runs deep.
• Harris laments that even popular, widely supported policies face skepticism over whether they will truly be implemented.

Personal & Political Complications: Biden, Loyalty, and Campagining

[57:20-61:41]

• Harris discusses the complicated emotional dynamics with President Biden, loyalty, and whether she could/should have more clearly differentiated herself.
• Notably affirms her belief in his competence, but recognizes the brutal personal and public pressures inherent in their respective roles.
• “Yeah, he disappointed me. Yes.” — Kamala Harris [61:13]

The Democratic Future: Leadership, Vision & Movement

[68:13-70:28]

• Stewart presses for a new Democratic “leader” — Harris demurs, instead advocating for collective leadership and the recognition of many “stars” in the party.
• “Let’s not be afraid of them ... I think it’s a time to understand everyone has a role to play.” — Kamala Harris [68:40]

Reflection & Closure

[70:39-73:38]

• Harris describes the difficulty of re-entry after the campaign, using the book and the tour as tools for reflection, closure, and re-engagement with the public after a period of exhaustion.
• She stresses the importance, despite likely setbacks, of renewed civic engagement and not succumbing to passivity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the Democratic Party’s trust problem:

  • “We need to do better … We need to … address [the highest priority issues] now. … And then, to your point, we gotta execute on it and actually deliver, and we’re gonna have to do a better job because … one third didn’t vote. … Because I don’t believe that when I participate, I get anything out of it.” — Kamala Harris [26:41]

• On incremental progress:

  • “It should not satisfy us that we have accomplished incremental change. We should be completely pissed off about that.” — Kamala Harris [31:06]
  • Stewart: “It’s the Audacity of hope and the timidity of what the Republicans will allow us to do.” [35:48]

• On disruption vs. destruction:

  • “Disruption has a very important role to play … but destruction for the sake of some grand gesture … without any plan … Come on.” — Kamala Harris [49:19]

• On listening, empathy, and systemic change:

  • “People have a lot to say, and when you give them a safe place to do it, … People have a lot to say.” — Kamala Harris [14:11]

• On the burden of running:

  • “Being a candidate for President of the United States is about being in a marathon at a sprinter's pace, having tomatoes thrown at you every step you take.” — Kamala Harris [59:42]

• On personal disappointment from Biden:

  • “Yeah, he disappointed me. Yes.” — Kamala Harris [61:13]

Major Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–02:40 | Stewart’s intro; Trump abroad; context for Harris interview
• 02:40–03:07 | Welcoming Harris; intro to her book "107 Days"
• 03:07–13:09 | Why write the book; transparency; campaign process; data, listening, book tour insights
• 13:55–17:08 | Private listening sessions; what Harris is hearing from young people
• 17:08–19:09 | Top voter concerns: cost of living, housing, childcare, tech, mental health
• 19:09–20:23 | Policy priorities & missed opportunities
• 20:23–24:17 | Trust, social media, and fear mongering
• 25:37–31:06 | Democratic dissatisfaction; incrementalism vs. system change; ACA debate
• 32:54–36:17 | The Party’s focus/problem of only being anti-Trump; defining Democratic values
• 36:32–47:37 | Governance, systems, efficiency; rural broadband; implementation vs. design
• 48:07–49:40 | Disruption vs. destruction; government’s failures and opportunities
• 50:08–58:52 | Campaign postmortem; time constraints; the role of misinformation and party machinery
• 56:06–57:20 | Trust, delivery, and voter cynicism
• 57:20–61:41 | Biden, loyalty, personal feelings; campaign decision regrets
• 68:13–70:28 | Democratic leadership; need for a broad movement rather than a single savior
• 70:39–73:38 | Reflection, closure, personal journey post-campaign

Podcast Panel Reflections

[75:21–77:48]

• Stewart and team reflect on the cautiousness of politicians’ public statements versus the candor occasionally surfaced in the episode.
• There’s acknowledgment of real emotional stakes for Harris, particularly regarding Biden, and appreciation for her book’s honest moments.

Conclusion

This episode offers an unusually candid look at recent political failure and future possibility through Harris’s perspective. In it, she acknowledges strategic errors, system flaws, and the deep emotional toll of political life. Stewart’s persistent questioning, coupled with Harris’s willingness to reflect — though still measured — turns the conversation into both a postmortem of 2024 and a manifesto for urgent, honest, substantive political evolution.

For listeners interested in the intersection of political process, emotional reality, and the future of American democracy, this is a must-hear (or read) episode.