In her first interview since shedding the election to President Trump and leaving workplace, former Vice President Kamala Harris informed Stephen Colbert on “The Late Present” that her resolution to not run for California governor was extra “fundamental” than saving herself for a “totally different workplace” — which is to say, one other run for president in 2028.
After years of being a “religious public servant,” Harris mentioned within the interview, set to air Thursday night time, she simply doesn’t wish to be “within the system” proper now.
“Lately I made the choice that I simply — for now — I don’t wish to return within the system,” she mentioned. “I believe it’s damaged.”
She mentioned that was not to remove from the essential work being performed day by day by “so many good people who find themselves public servants,” reminiscent of lecturers, firefighters, cops and scientists.
“It’s not about them,” she mentioned. “However you realize, I consider, and I at all times believed, that as fragile as our democracy is, our programs can be sturdy sufficient to defend our most elementary rules. And I believe proper now that they’re not as sturdy as they have to be.”
She mentioned she as a substitute desires to journey the nation and discuss to People in a setting that isn’t “transactional, the place I’m asking for his or her vote.”
Colbert mentioned to listen to Harris — whom he known as “very certified for the presidency” — say that the American system is damaged was “harrowing.”
“Nicely, nevertheless it’s additionally evident, isn’t it?” Harris replied, to applause from the studio viewers.
The interview got here on the heels of Harris’ bulletins this week that she just isn’t operating for California governor and is releasing a memoir about her quick, whirlwind presidential marketing campaign following President Biden’s resolution to drop from the race, and it was an enormous get for Colbert in what seems to be his remaining chapter on late-night TV.
CBS, blaming monetary issues throughout late night time, introduced July 17 that the 2025-2026 season of “The Late Present” can be its final.
The announcement adopted Colbert sharply criticizing Paramount International’s $16-million settlement with Trump over a CBS Information “60 Minutes” interview with Harris throughout the presidential marketing campaign, which Trump accused the venerable information present of manipulating to make her look higher.
Paramount International was on the time looking for a serious merger with Skydance Media and wanted the Trump administration’s approval, which it finally received. Simply days earlier than the announcement that his present can be ending, Colbert described the “60 Minutes” settlement as a bribe to get the merger deal performed.
All that brought on many observers and allies of Colbert to invest that the cancellation of the present was political in nature. The Writers Guild of America, for instance, mentioned the corporate gave the impression to be “sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration.”
Trump mentioned it was “not true” that he was “solely accountable for the firing of Stephen Colbert,” and that the “cause he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT” and that Colbert’s present was shedding Paramount hundreds of thousands of {dollars} a yr.
“And it was solely going to get WORSE!” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform.
Paramount has mentioned the choice was “not associated in any technique to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues occurring at Paramount,” although some polling has instructed many People don’t consider the corporate.
It’s unclear whether or not Harris thought-about any of that in granting Colbert her first interview since leaving workplace. Nevertheless, it will nearly definitely not have been her solely cause.
Colbert is liberal and seen as a pleasant interviewer by Democrats.
Throughout Thursday’s interview, the late-night host heaped reward on Harris. After saying it was “harrowing” to listen to she feels the system is damaged, he requested whether or not she was giving up combating.
Harris mentioned she was not.
“I’m at all times going to be a part of the battle,” Harris mentioned. “That’s not going to vary.”
