107 Days

“I was not about to tell the American people that their eyes had lied. I would not jeopardize my own credibility.”

This passage describes Harris’s dilemma as she faced the public immediately following Biden’s disastrous debate performance, highlighting the theme of Loyalty and the Limits of Support. Harris repeatedly states her loyalty to the president, but in that moment, she could not lie to the American people and tell them the president had won the debate. She had to respond in a way that acknowledged the reality of the debate while still asserting that the president was capable of governing effectively. This moment of standing before the American public in a time of uncertainty illustrates the leadership role that Harris was already assuming within the government.

“A man can work out, shower, shave, pat down his hair, and grab one of half a dozen identical blue suits. As any woman in a public-facing job knows, it takes us longer. Women need to add time for hairstyling, makeup, and more complicated apparel choices, including not repeating the same outfit too often. […] As trivial as it may seem, women are still judged on all this. Get it wrong in one direction, you’re a frump. Go too far in the other, you’re vain and frivolous. Like our tone of voice or our uninhibited laugh, it has the potential to be noted ahead of the consequential matters we’re engaged in, be it national security or a billion-dollar infrastructure deal.”

Here, Harris describes the double standard that exists for men and women in public-facing roles. She suggests that women are still judged on things like appearance and demeanor to a much greater extent than men and risk not being taken seriously if they don’t look or behave a certain way. Harris is aware of this dynamic and does her part to meet these expectations. However, throughout her campaign, she also does all she can to keep the conversation focused on the substance of her qualifications and plans for the American people.