Democratic wonk James Carville likened the 2024 nomination of Kamala Harris to a crappy benchwarmer being thrust into the big game. (Watch the video below.)
During an interview on PBS’ “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” on Friday, Carville assessed what went wrong with the former vice president’s run in her loss to President Donald Trump in November. He laid it out in football terms.
“If we were playing a Super Bowl, we started our seventh-string quarterback,” he said. “That’s what happened.”
Carville, who guided Bill Clinton to victory in 1992, said if the Democrats had presented “the staggering talent that exists in today’s Democratic Party” ― presumably in a short primary ― voters would have been energized.
Again, the veteran strategist appeared to take another cheap shot at Harris.
“If people would have seen that, they would have gone, ‘I didn’t know that people like that, that can actually complete a sentence, actually know how to frame a message,’” he said. That’s how you rouse voters’ interest from coast to coast, he continued.
“We have not had an inspirational presidential candidate since 2012,” referring to President Barack Obama’s successful reelection bid.
Republican consultant Mike Murphy seconded Carville’s notion of a short primary to deal with the time crunch created by ex-President Joe Biden’s late withdrawal from the race.
A primary win “credentials the nominee,” Murphy said. “We can have a short primary instead of anointing someone. … If Kamala’s that good, let her beat somebody to make her somebody.”
James Carville takes Kamala Harris to the woodshed by calling her a ‘7th string quarterback’ that couldn’t put together a sentence:
James Carville: “We ran a presidential election, if we were playing a superbowl, we started our 7th string quarterback. You can’t address a problem… pic.twitter.com/RBUXKNJSMa— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) February 1, 2025
Carville has been leaning into sports metaphors to assess the political climate lately.
Last week on MSNBC he advised Democrats to let Trump “punch himself out” as the late heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali did to opponents. He would cover up against the ropes and entice his foes to launch numerous blows that weren’t so damaging. Once they were exhausted, Ali would mount his attack.
Carville hit that comparison in the PBS conversation as well.
