107 Days of Kamala Harris: A Biography

Prologue

The Call to Lead

You ever have one of those moments when everything just clicks? Like the universe suddenly decides it’s time for you to stop sitting back and actually step up? Kamala Harris probably felt something close to that when Joe Biden, the man who’d been her political partner-in-arms, made his decision to bow out of the race.

Not just any exit, mind you, this was a game-changer. A bombshell, really. After all, Biden was the front-runner. But then, he suddenly said, It’s time for someone else to take the reins. So, there she was. Kamala Harris. At the crossroads of a career-defining moment. What now?

The question wasn’t whether she had the skills or the determination to lead, it was about timing, and whether the stars were finally aligned. It must’ve felt like fate, after all, she’d spent years building her profile, advocating for change, and inspiring people.

But there’s one thing you learn quickly in politics: things don’t always go the way you plan. You can’t predict the twists and turns, the backstabbing, the alliances that shift like sand. Yet, when Biden bowed out, Harris had a choice: keep going with business as usual or seize this unexpected opening and run for the highest office in the land.

And run she did.

The world, having seen her trailblazing rise to the vice presidency, now got to see her in a whole new light. Gone was the supportive second-in-command, and in her place was a woman with her eyes fixed firmly on the top spot.

Kamala Harris wasn’t just aiming to continue the work she had started under Biden, she was aiming to create something new. A vision. A legacy.

But let’s step back for a minute. Let’s take a closer look at what was really at stake here. The country had just been through a turbulent few years, pandemic aftermath, political division, economic unrest, racial tensions boiling over.

It was a mess, really, and the stakes were higher than ever. Harris knew this wasn’t a simple election. This was about reshaping the future, addressing long-standing inequities, and pushing the U.S. into a new direction.

Could she do it?

It wasn’t an easy decision. Imagine being in her shoes, suddenly thrust into the political spotlight, all while dealing with the complexities of being the first woman, the first South Asian, the first Black woman to be at the top of the ticket for a major party. The weight of it all. I mean, talk about pressure. But it’s not like Kamala Harris is one to shy away from a challenge. In fact, challenges seemed to be her thing. From being the first in many spaces to facing down the criticisms and expectations that came with those titles, she’d handled it all with grit. But leading a campaign? Well, that was a whole different ball game.

Harris’s 107-day campaign was an absolute whirlwind. It wasn’t just a sprint, it was a series of crucial moments packed into an incredibly tight timeline. The stakes? Nothing short of history.

Every move was scrutinized. Every word dissected. Every action amplified. In politics, the first 100 days are often used as a benchmark of success, or failure. Kamala Harris had 107. A little extra room, but still not much to work with. So, what did she do with it? Let’s dive into that.

Reflection on the Significance of the 107-Day Campaign

There’s something deeply symbolic about 107 days. It’s long enough to make an impact but short enough to force every second to count. And if you know anything about Kamala Harris, you know that every second of her life is filled with purpose. This wasn’t just another campaign to her.

It wasn’t just about throwing out policy proposals and hoping the voters bite. No, this was about proving something. To the naysayers, to the doubters, to the people who’d written her off as just the vice president or too inexperienced. This wasn’t just about winning a race, it was about setting the stage for a new kind of leadership.

But let’s be honest here, nobody could’ve predicted how fast things would move. In politics, everything is about momentum.

One bad day, one misstep, and your momentum can vanish. And that’s exactly what Kamala faced. But here’s the thing, this campaign wasn’t a standard one. You didn’t have years to get your footing. You didn’t have months to build relationships.

Harris had less than four months, and she wasn’t just competing against any candidate, she was up against a former president and a cast of other seasoned politicians.

There were moments when things looked grim, when the crowds weren’t as big as expected, or when her opponents landed a solid punch in a debate. Yet, Kamala always found a way to claw her way back.

Maybe it was her background in law that helped her sharpen her arguments. Maybe it was the sheer willpower that she brought with her every day, never letting herself show weakness, never letting the voters see her doubt.

Her experience as California’s attorney general, the way she’d built a reputation for standing firm, for not letting things slide, those were traits she called upon again and again during this 107-day campaign. But still, it wasn’t just about policy, it was about her story.

Let’s be real. The first time most of America saw Kamala Harris on a national stage, they probably had no idea who she was. She wasn’t a household name like the Clintons or the Bushes. But in 107 days, she became just that, an undeniable force.

Not just because of her policies, but because of her authenticity. The real Kamala that emerged during those days was something new. She was raw. Vulnerable. Driven. And, above all, committed to the idea that America could, and should, do better.

Every time Harris took the stage, whether it was at a rally, a debate, or in front of the cameras, she didn’t just talk about change, she embodied it. And that’s what kept the momentum going. People connected with her in a way that you don’t often see in presidential campaigns.

It wasn’t about political jargon or rehearsed lines. It was about her vision and how she could deliver. She spoke from the heart, and people felt it.

But, of course, things weren’t all sunshine and roses. The campaign was full of tough days. Long days. Exhausting days. Her team worked around the clock, scrambling to figure out messaging, strategies, and responses to attacks from opponents. They had no time to waste, every hour counted. For Harris, there was little room to breathe.

And it wasn’t just the media that was gunning for her. Oh no. Her own party, at times, seemed hesitant. Would they rally behind her, or would they hold back, still wondering if she had the mettle to take on the most difficult job in the world?

Those first 107 days would be her answer to that question. And it wasn’t a smooth ride. There were stumbles, missteps, and moments of doubt. But by the end of it all, Kamala Harris had shown the world what she was made of.

The significance of these 107 days, then, isn’t just about a campaign or a race, it’s about a woman who’d spent her whole life preparing for this moment, and when it came, she met it with everything she had. She fought. She persevered. And in the process, she redefined what it meant to lead.

Chapter 1

The Making of a Leader