This week, veteran Democratic political strategist James Carville expressed bewilderment over the Trump campaign’s response to Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. During a candid discussion on Bill Kristol’s podcast, Carville analyzed Harris’ strengths and weaknesses as a candidate before turning his attention to what he perceives as a disorganized and flat-footed reaction from former President Donald Trump’s team.
“Something is going on at Mar-a-Lago and I’m not sure what it is,” Carville remarked, referring to Trump’s Florida estate and campaign headquarters. He specifically mentioned key figures in Trump’s campaign, including Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, who have previously managed successful elections. “LaCivita, Susie Wiles, they’re not stupid. They’ve won elections before. And what’s coming out of there is, you’re right, they don’t know where to go.”
Carville was particularly astonished by the apparent lack of preparedness within the Trump campaign for the possibility of Harris taking the top spot on the Democratic ticket. “They let it get away from them. It was like they got hit in the mouth… They didn’t see this coming? If you or I were running that campaign, we’d say, look, there’s three things that can happen: Biden drops out, it’s Harris; Biden drops out, it’s an open [convention primary] thing… but you would have a plan that you would pull off the shelf.”
According to Carville, the Trump campaign’s current actions—or lack thereof—suggest that no such contingency plans were in place. He expressed amazement at their apparent unpreparedness, especially given the importance of staying ahead in a high-stakes presidential race.
“From what little I can read, they were just standing there feeling good about themselves and they got hit in the mouth,” Carville continued. “And there was no concerted, organized, thought-out reaction. Which is pretty amazing! It really is!”
Carville’s critique highlights the challenges Trump’s campaign faces in the wake of Harris’ nomination. His analysis suggests that the former president’s team has been caught off guard, struggling to find an effective strategy to counter Harris and regain their footing in what promises to be a fiercely contested election.