In a post-election podcast episode of Pod Save America this tuesday Jen OʼMalley Dillon and other ex-Harris campaign leaders shared their take on the recent defeat
The team claimed their internal data showed a much closer race: “The truth is we really thought this was really a very close race“ said OʼMalley Dillon who led the 107-day campaign. Campaign adviser David Plouffe noted they saw approval ratings that made them hopeful — Trumpʼs first-term numbers were around 48-51 percent while the current presidents were near 38-41
The campaign faced several key issues during their short run:
- Limited time-frame for campaign activities
- Complex relationship with current administration
- Media coverage challenges
- Celebrity endorsement difficulties
Deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter explained their failed attempt to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience: “We wanted to do it but timing was tight‚ and when you need to go to Houston its a whole day off the battleground“ The team mentioned that Trump took their only available slot which made recording impossible
The discussion touched on celebrity support where OʼMalley Dillon pointed out challenges with getting endorsements: “We had support from athletes and others who didnt want their brand mixed up in campaign politics“ Despite having backing from big-name artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift‚ the team felt Trump had better luck with celebrity supporters — including Elon Musk and Dana White
Regarding separation from the current administration Cutter explained their complex position: “She felt that she was part of the administration; unless we said something like well I wouldnt have handled the border completely differently we werent going to satisfy anybody“