In her newly released memoir 107 Days, former Vice President Kamala Harris offers a behind-the-scenes look at her intense — and at times bizarre — debate preparation against Donald Trump during the tumultuous 2024 presidential election. Among the revelations: Harris and her team trained for the possibility that Trump might launch personal and crude attacks, including questions about abortion.
With the support of a “seasoned team of advisers” — including a veteran trial attorney Harris describes as a “wartime consigliere” — the then-vice president conducted her prep sessions in the basement of Howard University, her alma mater. What began as conventional debate training soon took on a more combative edge as advisers began imagining the kinds of personal barbs Trump might throw on stage.
“‘He might ask you if you’ve ever had an abortion,’ one adviser said,” Harris writes in the book.
Her planned response was, “That’s none of your business and that’s not what we’re here for.”
“Dark Jokes” and Off-Limits Lines
The prep sessions included what Harris describes as “dark jokes” from her team, imagining how she could respond in kind to inappropriate questions. One response considered asking Trump if he used Viagra, while another suggested asking whether he had ever paid for an abortion.
Though these lines never made it into the actual debate — held on September 10, 2024 — they highlight the direction that Harris’s team believed Trump might steer the conversation.
“In the end, he didn’t go down that track,” Harris reflects. “He probably knew a question like that would be exceedingly thin ice for him—and would infuriate just about every woman in America.”
Serious Politicos See a Missed Opportunity
To serious politicos and strategists, however, Harris’s admission may only further undercut her credibility. Critics point out that rather than focusing on defining what set her apart from President Joe Biden, whose approval ratings had been steadily declining, or preparing strong defenses for her numerous policy reversals on issues like immigration and fracking, Harris devoted valuable preparation time to rehearse responses for hypothetical personal attacks that Trump never made — and likely never would, given his own politically fraught history on abortion-related issues. The result, they argue, was a candidate who appeared more prepared for theatrics than for substance, and ultimately failed to present a compelling, differentiated vision to voters.
Debate Prep: From Note Cards to Strategy
Her team created debate cards outlining every nuance of major issues, from reproductive rights to foreign policy.
“Once I memorized what was on that card, I’d draw a big, loopy X across it,” Harris writes. “I am not a trained seal; I’m not going to memorize lines and spout them. I have to understand the logic and building blocks of every argument so I can present it clearly and defend it persuasively.”
The book also recounts Harris’s mindset as she transitioned from preparing to debate JD Vance — Trump’s then-vice presidential running mate — to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out in July 2024 due to mounting concerns over his mental acuity.
The Campaign That Followed
Despite the high-stakes preparation, Harris’s campaign fell short. She lost to Trump in a sweeping defeat on November 5, 2024, failing to win any of the seven key battleground states.
In 107 Days, she reflects on that loss and on her journey following Biden’s exit. She also reveals emotional moments, including her reaction to Biden’s decision to withdraw, and what he told her moments before her debate with Trump — a conversation that, she says, left her angry.
Abortion Remains a Defining Issue
Abortion was a central topic in the 2024 election, particularly following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Harris made abortion a cornerstone of her campaign, even touring a Planned Parenthood clinic in March 2024 — a historic first for a sitting vice president.
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