Kamala Harris has never been shy about leaning into pop culture, but her new memoir, 107 Days, shows just how far the former vice president went to stitch Hollywood and celebrity influence into every seam of her short-lived presidential campaign.
The book peels back the curtain on a strategy that looked less like a political movement and more like a PR campaign for a music festival.
According to Harris, it took 27 drafts to perfect her speech at the Democratic National Convention. Who was brought in to help? Not a seasoned statesman or policy heavyweight, but Greta Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Barbie and Little Women.
Gerwig reportedly coached Harris with advice straight from the script of a Hollywood drama: “When you speak about your family, see their faces.” Harris also admits to working with a professional voice coach who had her and her team grunting, humming, and making animal noises in preparation.
This was all part of the rebrand. The campaign seized on British singer Charli XCX’s viral post dubbing Harris “brat,” a nod to her latest album and aesthetic. Soon, Kamala HQ was drenched in lime green graphics, and TikTok videos of Harris set to Chappell Roan’s Femininomenon became central to the messaging.
Delegates wore T-shirts with “Kamala is brat” slogans, while Trump-bashing merch flooded the convention floor.
And it didn’t stop there. At her rallies, Harris leaned into celebrity cameos: Megan Thee Stallion performing in Atlanta, Quavo on the mic to hype the crowd, Cardi B warming up Wisconsin, and Taylor Swift delivering a sly “Childless Cat Lady” endorsement after JD Vance’s comments about women. From Beyoncé to Oprah, Eminem to Billie Eilish, Harris’ campaign became a star-studded endorsement parade.
But beneath the gloss, cracks showed. Harris recounts being “ambushed” by an unscheduled podcast interview after a 19-hour day, fuming at staff who hadn’t prepared briefing sheets. “What the f— was that?” she demanded afterward.
It’s a telling portrait of a candidate who never found footing outside the glow of borrowed stardom. While Trump hammered policy and populism, Harris built a campaign around Hollywood coaching sessions and TikTok trends. In 107 Days, she seems almost proud of that fact.
