Kamala Harris’ Intimate Gathering with Governors: Discussions on Immigration, Abortion, and Special Counsel Robert Hur

Vice President Kamala Harris recently hosted a meeting with battleground state governors at her residence in Northwest Washington, D.C. This first-of-its-kind gathering was described as an intimate listening session, where governors shared their concerns and offered suggestions to Harris and her team. The meeting lasted for three hours and included discussions on various topics, including immigration, abortion rights, and the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Hur.

The governors, who have overseen their large states during the COVID-19 pandemic and won tough reelection fights, expressed their concerns about the lack of creativity and agility coming from the West Wing. They urged Vice President Harris to encourage President Biden to be more aggressive on immigration and to change his language on abortion rights. There was a consensus around the table that these issues were crucial for winning battleground states and key constituencies.

The concerns raised by the governors came at a time when Republicans had successfully blocked a bipartisan proposal to overhaul southern border security and immigration policy. The meeting also occurred as President Biden’s language on abortion rights had changed slightly, acknowledging his devout Roman Catholic faith but failing to strongly defend abortion rights, as demanded by fellow Democrats.

The vice president listened intently to the governors’ concerns and acknowledged the need for more aggressive action on immigration and a stronger stance on abortion rights. She shared forthcoming campaign plans and emphasized the importance of the governors in winning their battleground states.

The meeting was described as detailed-oriented, with Vice President Harris assigning Louisa Terrell, a former White House official now serving at the Democratic National Committee as a liaison to governors, as their liaison to the campaign. This assignment was meant to ensure that governors had a direct line of communication with the campaign for any questions or concerns.

Despite ongoing chatter in the broader party and polls showing a sustained desire for other candidates to run instead, there was no conversation about removing President Biden from the party ticket. The governors understood that he was not going anywhere and instead focused on criticizing the motivations of Special Counsel Robert Hur and keeping the focus on raising concerns about Donald Trump possibly returning to the White House.

Vice President Harris also laid out plans for a big campaign-style push after the State of the Union address on March 7. She and President Biden were expected to travel to highlight issues they still wanted to accomplish that they wouldn’t have cooperation on this year. The governors hoped that this push would mean a big focus on abortion rights and immigration, especially.

The meeting brought together a group of battle-tested governors who knew how to win and be administrators. They included Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota, JB Pritzker of Illinois, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Wes Moore of Maryland. All except Shapiro and Moore were elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022 and had served with the same chief of staff their entire terms. These Midwestern governors frequently collaborated on a regional level during the pandemic, addressing concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of the response and punishing Democratic-controlled states.

The vice president was joined by her vice presidential chief of staff, Lorraine Voles, her campaign chief of staff, Sheila Nix, and Louisa Terrell. The detailed-oriented nature of the meeting was evident in the vice president’s assignment of Terrell as the governors’ liaison to the campaign.

In a sign of her strong defense of President Biden, Vice President Harris criticized Hur’s conclusions in his investigation into Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified materials. She called the report “clearly politically motivated” and cited her own career as a prosecutor to blast it as “gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate.” She repeated this defense during the meeting and credited Pritzker for his comments on the unfairness of Hur’s report.

Harris and the governors agreed that questioning the partisan motivations of Hur and keeping the focus on raising concerns about Trump’s potential return to the White House was the best strategy. Harris also shared plans for a big campaign-style push after the State of the Union address on March 7, with a focus on issues they still wanted to accomplish that they wouldn’t have cooperation on this year.

The meeting was a significant moment for Vice President Harris, as she listened intently to the concerns of governors and offered solutions to address their issues. It was a demonstration of her leadership abilities and her commitment to working with governors to win battleground states and key constituencies. The discussions on immigration, abortion, and the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Hur were crucial for the Democratic Party’s future and showed the importance of collaboration and communication between the vice president and governors.

In conclusion, Vice President Kamala Harris’ meeting with governors was a pivotal moment for the Democratic Party. The discussions on immigration, abortion, and the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Hur were crucial for the party’s future and demonstrated the importance of collaboration and communication between the vice president and governors. The governors’ concerns were addressed, and Vice President Harris offered solutions to address their issues, showcasing her leadership abilities and commitment to working with governors to win battleground states and key constituencies. The meeting was a significant step forward for the Democratic Party as they prepare for the 2024 elections.