Harris tells of dismay as running mate fumbled debate answer

Kamala Harris watched mortified as her running mate, Tim Walz, fell into JD Vance’s trap in last year’s vice-presidential debate and “fumbled” a crucial answer, she writes in a campaign memoir.

- David Smith

The former Democratic presidential nominee also admits Walz had not been her first choice for vice-president in her book 107 Days, obtained by the Guardian ahead of its publication next week. Harris writes that her “first choice” would have been the then transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, a close friend of hers.

Walz and Vance held a 90-minute debate on 1 October. It was the last debate of the campaign, and Harris hoped Walz would be “the closer”.

But Vance, previously vicious in attacking Harris, came with a strategy to tone down the anger and insults that characterise his boss, Donald Trump. Instead the Ohio senator presented himself as mild-mannered and eager to find common ground with Walz.