Reflections from a Former Training Captain on the 2020 Harris Presidential Campaign in San Diego

By Orly Benaroch Light

I volunteered as a training captain for Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential campaign in San Diego. At a fundraiser hosted by a local women’s rights advocate, I had the chance to meet her in person. I felt hopeful about Harris; she was a former prosecutor and sitting senator, offering what seemed like real, sensible change for the country.

Back then, I was convinced Kamala Harris was a perfect fit. Brilliant, successful, and engaging, she championed women’s rights, healthcare access, gun safety, and the principles of justice and fairness. When she first ran for office in California, people celebrated her as a leader who understood many struggles at once.

Within twelve months, progress stalled. Facing financial constraints and internal challenges, she halted her run, leaving all of us disappointed. Nevertheless, once Biden selected her as vice president, I got behind her, believing she could rise to this pivotal moment.

A Memoir of Moral Ambiguity

Kamala Harris’s 2025 memoir, 107 Days, feels like looking back at history, a personal reckoning, and an account of what went wrong. The book covers July through November 2024: Biden leaving the election, Harris losing too, conflict escalating in Gaza, and hostage crises. She also recounts moments when people did not listen to her ideas.

As an activist advocating for women’s empowerment and peacebuilding, I had thought Harris might break barriers as president. But this book struck me as raw, even disturbing. It is not polished political writing. Harris details divisions inside the White House, her restless nights, and her discomfort witnessing crises in Gaza and the hostage situations. The way things were presented felt significant, not just the statements themselves.

One moment stood out sharply. When President Biden visited Israel shortly after October 7, it was evident he was struggling. In a press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu, he fumbled for words, barely read from cue cards, and seemed fatigued and disoriented. It was a clear sign of decline.

In her memoir, Harris acknowledges she was aware of his mental and physical deterioration and reportedly felt sidelined by Biden’s inner circle, which discouraged open discussion about his health.

Watching this unfold, I couldn’t help but wonder—why didn’t Harris step into the moment and let the world know the truth? This could have been an extraordinary opportunity for her to shine, to show decisiveness and leadership on a global stage, to speak openly about the crisis and offer direction when clarity was needed most. Yet, that opportunity passed.

She writes that advising Biden to drop out of the race might have seemed like “naked ambition… poisonous disloyalty.” But how could it, when the world saw what was happening? The real disappointment was that she chose loyalty to the administration instead of standing up for the people.

The Hostages and Gaza: Where Was the Fight?

I never expected Harris to call the shots as Vice President, but I hoped she would make her voice heard. Over 107 days, she recounts connecting with relatives of Americans held captive, assuring each one, “You are not alone.” She shared their grief and recognized the depth of their suffering.

So when did the story reveal her plan? The tone remained strangely calm. Where was the fire? Why did she not push to make bringing Americans home a national priority? Yes, ultimate authority rested with Biden and senior officials, but she also knew the crisis was escalating.

When President Biden finally withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed her as the Democratic candidate, Harris had a chance to show how she would approach conflict differently. But she offered no plan. She vowed to do “everything in her power” to end the war in Gaza and bring the hostages home if elected president, yet never publicly challenged the administration’s strategy or offered an alternative.

This was a missed opportunity to lead and build a platform addressing both domestic and global concerns.

And here we are in 2025, almost a year later: Trump leaned on Netanyahu, forced a ceasefire, and brought the hostages home. Calling this a “peace agreement” may be misleading, as the conflict’s underlying causes remain unaddressed. Observing these events unfold, I couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if, a year ago, the Biden administration had set aside its pursuit of a comprehensive peace agreement and focused on crisis management and prioritizing immediate outcomes.

To be fair though, Netanyahu was not willing to negotiate at that time because of internal political pressures and his plan to continue dismantling Iran and its terrorist network. Hamas still retained strong leadership and military capabilities. Additionally, global pressure, especially from Arab nations, was not strong enough to bring about any real change.

Beyond the Glass Ceiling: The Glass Walls

Backing Harris initially felt like witnessing history, a female leader poised to break through. Yet the book reveals that removing one hurdle exposes others. These are not blatant blocks but subtle constraints arising from allegiance, prudence, established systems, and global politics. The book is not a victory lap; it explores the boundaries she faced.

It details a Vice President grappling with weighty concerns, understanding risks, but unable to fully respond when people’s safety and democratic principles hung in the balance—a choice its pages only partially illuminate.

True leadership demands courage—the will to speak until you are heard, to stand firm when principles are tested, and to look out for the people you lead. That missing spark, that hesitation to disrupt the order of things, stayed with me throughout those 107 days.

When I reflect on what might have been, I feel both grief and disappointment. Even within the limits of her role, there were moments when her voice, had it been louder, could have shifted the framing if not the outcome.

“If your voice had no power, they would not try to silence you.”— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

That is what I have learned from Kamala Harris’s 107 Days. I hope she has too.