Former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver her most significant public speech since losing the 2024 presidential race to Donald Trump, but her return to the national stage is already drawing widespread mockery.
Harris will deliver the keynote address Wednesday night at Emerge America's 20th anniversary gala in San Francisco, an event aiming to bolster Democratic women candidates. Tickets for the fundraiser range from $250 for general admission to $50,000 for top-tier sponsorships, with a $25 livestream option available for remote viewers.
The former vice president is expected to "address the first 100 days of the Trump administration" while issuing a "call to action" for future candidates, according to CNN. A source familiar with her prepared remarks told the Los Angeles Times that Harris will "reflect on the enduring promise of America and issue a call to action in the face of reckless economic policies and the urgent and escalating crisis facing America's institutions and global leadership."
Ahead of the speech, critics on social media targeted Harris' oratorical style and political standing. "When you fire a head coach the last person you want to hear from is a fired head coach," Mike Lester wrote on X. Steve Mur added, "Can't wait to hear more about the duality of Democracy in this moment."
Tom Johnson mocked Harris' rhetorical reputation, writing on X, "Her speech writers are busy right now putting cackles and word salad together and some gibberish about her being middle class and Trump being a dictator." Another X user, Bret Weingart, wrote, "Everyone already knows she will fail at the speech given she slurs, makes up stories and gets lost in the middle of the stories."
Emerge America, which focuses on recruiting and training Democratic women for political office, has longstanding ties to Harris. "Vice President Harris is the original Emerge woman," said A'shanti F. Gholar, president and CEO of Emerge, in a statement. "She continues to be a champion for Emerge and an advocate for elevating women in elected office."
Harris' reappearance has fueled speculation about her future ambitions, including a potential bid for California governor in 2026 or a second presidential run in 2028. Politico reported last month that Harris told allies, "I'm staying in this fight," but has indicated she will decide her next steps by the end of summer.
In earlier appearances this year, Harris hinted at her continuing political engagement. Speaking at the Leading Women Defined summit in April, she remarked, "I'm not here to say, 'I told you so,'" while smiling broadly as the audience cheered. At a February speech to the NAACP, Harris warned of "the flames on our horizons," "the rising waters in our cities," and "the shadows gathering over our democracy."
"Our strength flows from our faith - faith in God, faith in each other, and our refusal to surrender to cynicism and destruction," Harris said. "Not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. Not because victory is guaranteed, but because the fight is worth it."
