Kamala Harris Stumped by Stephen Colbert Softball: ‘Who’s Leading the Democratic Party?’

Former Vice President Kamala Harris had a treat Thursday for Americans missing the freshness of word salad wafting from their computers and TV screens.

Harris used much of her interview with late night host Stephen Colbert to explain why she was not running for governor of California and to explain why she was stepping away from elected office.

That led Colbert to ask, “Who’s leading the Democratic Party? I’m just curious.”

In the MOST amount of words possible, Kamala Harris admits President Trump BROKE her, which is why she doesn’t want to run for Governor of California

“The system’s broken… so I don’t wanna go back into the system.”

She just GAVE UP 🤣 pic.twitter.com/AXDBG4vSMz

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 1, 2025

“There are lots of leaders,” Harris replied, without naming names, according to a video posted to X.

After Colbert persisted, Harris replied, “I think there are a lot of, I’m going to go through names, ‘cuz then I’m going to leave somebody out and then I’m going to hear about it.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris declines to name who she thinks the leader of The Democrat Party is:

“I think there are a lot of names… It’s really on all of our shoulders.” pic.twitter.com/PzcwYzYPmy

— America (@america) August 1, 2025

“But let me just, let me say this. I think it is a mistake for us who want to figure out how to get out and through this and get out of it to put it on the shoulders of any one person. It’s really on all of our shoulders,” she said.

Elsewhere in the interview, her first since her loss to President Donald Trump, she explained her decision not to run for governor as a shortcoming of the political system.

Kamala Harris runs through her resume of being a devout public servant with Stephen Colbert, but fails to mention how she got her start as a “devout public servant” by dating Willie Brown while he was married and he appointed her to multiple state commissions that paid 6 figures. pic.twitter.com/yQYQaywcnZ

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) August 1, 2025

“I just, for now, I don’t want to go back in the system. I think it’s broken,” she said, according to the Huffington Post, elsewhere talking about America’s “systems.”

“I think right now that they’re not as strong as they need to be, and I just don’t want to, for now, I don’t want to go back in the system. I want to travel the country. I want to listen to people, I want to talk with people, and I don’t want it to be transactional, where I’m asking for their vote,” she said.

Harris said not running for office does not mean she is stepping away from politics.

“Oh, absolutely not. I am always going to be part of the fight. That is not going to change,” she said.

🚨 Kamala Harris, who blew over $1.5 Billion on her failed Presidential Campaign is on the Stephen Colbert Show, which loses $50 Million a year!

Two losers who were both canceled by the American People.

Good Riddance to both pic.twitter.com/TWYsjtQWdj

— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) August 1, 2025

Ever since being defeated by Trump, the 2026 campaign to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom had been viewed as her chance for a political resuscitation. But instead of enthusiasm, crosscurrents marked her potential candidacy, leading her to announce she would not run.

“At the end of the day, when she did her own gut check — to put it in the prosecutorial parlance — she had reasonable doubt,” Harris adviser Sean Clegg said, according to Politico.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.