SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Hundreds of people turned out to the Masonic Auditorium on Nob Hill Sunday to hear former Vice President Kamala Harris talk about her new memoir.
Her book, “107 Days,” talks about her historically short run for the White House after former President Joe Biden dropped out.
“It was exciting to see her here. I think the whole Bay Area was excited,” said Foster City resident Shika Hamilton.
Bay Area residents say they were excited and encouraged by Harris appearing in San Francisco.
“I felt hope once again listening to her. She’s very encouraging,” said Diana McElroy, a Brentwood resident.
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“She’s really inspirational for young people, because she gives us hope for the future,” said 11th grader Isiah Phillips.
Harris brought the audience to their feet. Many people say they were glad to hear her speak.
“I appreciate her honesty, appreciate her being candid, representing the Bay Area — which is where she is from — and I appreciate she could address some of what is going on right now, especially with the current administration,” said Zeus of San Francisco.
Harris was in San Francisco as part of her cross-country book tour.
In her book, Harris talked about the frenetic 15 weeks after her rise to the top of the Democratic ticket and why she thinks she lost the presidential election.
MORE: Kamala Harris admits she was ‘reckless’ in not challenging Biden decision to seek reelection
“I wanted to bring my daughter so she could see Kamala and to hear her story about what it was like to continue to move on after losing, what that feels like, what that means like to a woman in the world — how you don’t quit,” said Autumn Brown-Garibay of San Francisco.
Harris’ memoir criticized former President Joe Biden’s timing in dropping out.
When asked how much more time she would have needed to win, Harris replied, “I know we needed more time. I can’t predict the outcome would have been different, but I know we needed more time.”
During the sit-down at the Masonic, Harris talked about several of her concerns.
“The level of distrust that I’m seeing that the American people are having in each other,” Harris said. “We have to agree and speak out and agree to speak out about scapegoating–the scapegoating that includes the attack on DEI.”
MORE: ‘Recklessness’: Kamala Harris turns on Joe Biden in new book
Harris talked about the federal shutdown.
“The government shutdown, it’s the Republicans, not the Democrats. They run the Senate, they run the House, and they run White House, and the government is shut down,” Harris said.
Many people say they’re anxious about the current political climate.
“I don’t like seeing it. It’s not the America I grew up in — seeing how President Trump is taking it now. But, I have to have hope,” McElroy said.
Harris is a source of hope said Rachelle Rogers-Ard of Oakland.
“There are people who are not happy, and we’ve got to mobilize,” said Rogers-Ard. “We can’t stop fighting.”
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