Column: Is Kamala Harris too cautious? Or are we missing her bigger strength?

Hi and welcome to the politics newsletter. I’m Shelby Grad, deputy managing editor for news at the L.A. Times, and there are 100 days until election day.

Kamala Harris’ caution

Kamala Harris’ rise through California politics was remarkable, advancing her from San Francisco district attorney to California attorney general to U.S. senator. During much of this time, she won praise as a groundbreaking politician with seemingly limitless potential.

But there was a warning note in 2016.

The Los Angeles Times editorial board offered an admiring endorsement of her Senate bid, calling Harris thoughtful, pragmatic, trailblazing and a “persuasive advocate for California.” But the board also faulted her for what it said was a troubling trait:

Harris has at times seemed more focused on her political career than on the job she was elected to do — and therefore too cautious and unwilling to stake out positions on some controversial issues, even when her voice would have been valuable to the debate.

The editorial board and others cited several instances of her not taking stands on big issues, including California’s burgeoning criminal justice reforms. And criticisms of Harris as risk-averse have continued to dog her.

Back in 2021, when she was struggling to make her mark as vice president, Times columnist Mark Z. Barabak observed: “Caution has long been a hallmark of Harris’ political career, and the subservient nature of the vice presidency, as well as the scrutiny of [Joe] Biden loyalists sensitive to the merest hint of personal ambition, reinforce that inclination.”

Now, Harris has the stage all to herself as the likely Democratic nominee for president.

How will she use it?

Is the criticism fair?

(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; Photos via Associated Press)

I posed that question to Dan Morain, author of the excellent 2021 biography “Kamala’s Way.”

Morain, a veteran California political journalist who covered Harris for years, chronicles her cautious streak in his book — especially during her time as attorney general — but says it is not the whole story.

He notes that Harris was an early supporter of Barack Obama for president in 2008, back when many other California luminaries were supporting Hillary Clinton.

“She went with the young guy with big ears who could give a good speech, but had only been in the Senate for two years,” Morain said. “You know, that was kind of gutsy.”

And while caution is one of Harris’ traits, he said her discipline is perhaps a bigger one.

Morain said she is remarkably on-message and scripted. She might not broadly project charisma like Bill Clinton, but she is a master in small settings and one-on-one.

“Reporters can ask a question 10 different ways,” he said. “And she will say ‘no’ 10 different ways.”

Harris has experienced political setbacks in recent years. Her campaign for president famously fizzled. Her vice presidency has been marked by some highs (becoming a fierce protector of abortion rights) and more than a few lows (her work on border solutions and voter rights, and her struggles to gain a consistent voice in the office).

Before Biden stepped aside from the race last weekend, her poll numbers were not great, to put it mildly.

‘People who underestimate Kamala Harris end up losing’

In the last few days, however, she’s been getting high marks. Her energy and stamina are a stark contrast to Biden’s. She is bringing in record donations, and many say is making a much stronger case against a second term for Donald Trump than Biden did at that infamous June debate.

But will it be enough? Despite her strong debut this cycle, some pundits remain worried about her electability and how effective a campaigner she will be.

Morain offers this warning: Discount Harris at your peril.

“She’s a very good politician, and she’s a very good campaigner, and people who underestimate Kamala Harris end up losing,” he said. “Donald Trump called her ‘dumb as a rock.’ You know, you can say many things about Kamala Harris, but dumb she is not.”

What else you should be reading

The must-read: ‘Lawyerly, sharp mind’ or ‘dumb as a rock’? The ugly race to recast Harris is underway

The internet special: Coconuts, ‘brat summer’ and that laugh: The memeing of Kamala Harris

The L.A. Times special: Inside Kamala Harris’ bumpy ride from near political death to a rebound that has Dems hopeful

Crime special: Harris’ record as a prosecutor was once seen as a liability. Now is it a strength? (Wall Street Journal)

Mapping Harris: A Kamala road trip through the Bay Area (San Francisco Chronicle).

Until next week,
Shelby Grad
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