In a revealing appearance on The Late Show Thursday night, former Vice President Kamala Harris was reportedly put on the spot by CBS host Stephen Colbert, who asked a question that has quietly haunted Democrats since their 2024 electoral collapse: Who is leading the Democratic Party?
Harris, promoting her new campaign memoir 107 Days, appeared uncomfortable when Colbert noted that both she and President Joe Biden had exited the political arena, leaving the party without a clear standard-bearer. “You’re not running for office right now, you’re stepping away from that life,” Colbert said. “Um — who’s leading the Democratic Party? I’m just curious.”
Harris attempted to deflect: “There are lots of leaders, and — and — and —” she began, before Colbert interrupted with a pointed observation: “There’s generally a leader of the Democratic Party,” drawing laughter from the audience. “You know, like, ‘Oh, that’s the leader of the Democratic Party.’ Who comes to mind?”
Rather than name a single figure, Harris hedged: “I’m not gonna go through names, ’cause then I’m gonna leave somebody out and then I’m gonna hear about it.”
The exchange didn’t go unnoticed, especially in the context of a Democratic Party still adrift in the wake of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Since Trump’s commanding victory in 2024, Republican leadership has been disciplined, focused, and unapologetic in its agenda, while Democrats have struggled to find a post-Biden identity.
Harris attempted to frame the moment as one of collective responsibility. “I think it is a mistake for us who want to figure out how to get out and through this, and get out of it, to put it on the shoulders of any one person,” she said. “It’s really on all of our shoulders.”
But to many observers, including those in her own party, that kind of ambiguity has become the hallmark of Democratic messaging—particularly when contrasted with the blunt force clarity of Trump-era Republicanism.
Harris, who earlier this week announced she would not seek the California governorship, remains a figure of speculation for a potential 2028 presidential run.
Yet her refusal to articulate a vision or name a party leader raised fresh doubts about her ability to galvanize voters or chart a path forward for a fractured party.
For now, Harris’ appearance served less as a platform to rally the faithful than a reminder of the leadership vacuum that continues to plague Democrats — and a signal that, in the age of Trump’s renewed presidency, they’re still searching for someone willing to take the reins.
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