Rep. Clyburn throws Kamala Harris campaign under the bus, says team failed her

Fox News - Apr 11th, 2025
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Rep. James Clyburn, a prominent Democratic congressman from South Carolina, attributed Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential election loss to mistakes made by her campaign team rather than the candidate herself. In an interview, Clyburn praised Harris as a 'great candidate' and highlighted her 'tremendous talent,' suggesting that she was poorly served by her campaign staff. He pointed to a lack of attention to strategic advice from seasoned politicians, including himself and former President Bill Clinton, as a critical shortcoming of her campaign. Despite her defeat, Clyburn expressed confidence in Harris' future prospects, whether in another bid for the White House or a potential run in California's 2026 gubernatorial race.

The discussion around Harris' loss is further detailed in the book 'Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,' where it is revealed that Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, were blindsided by the election results. The book suggests that Harris was misled by her campaign's optimism and felt that with more time or a different election timeline, she could have won, implicitly blaming President Joe Biden's re-election bid for her defeat. This narrative highlights internal campaign mismanagement and strategic miscalculations, raising questions about party dynamics and future electoral strategies within the Democratic Party.

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RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The news story provides a timely and relevant account of Rep. James Clyburn's comments on Kamala Harris' campaign, highlighting her potential as a candidate while critiquing her campaign team. The article is generally accurate and clear, with a logical structure and accessible language. However, it lacks balance due to the absence of diverse perspectives, focusing primarily on supportive viewpoints. The reliance on secondary sources introduces some areas needing further verification, particularly regarding Harris' personal reflections and campaign dynamics. Enhancing source variety and transparency would improve the story's quality, providing a more comprehensive and balanced understanding of the situation.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The news story accurately reports Rep. James Clyburn's comments about Kamala Harris, highlighting his praise for her as a candidate and criticism of her campaign team. However, the story could benefit from more direct quotes or statements from Clyburn to enhance precision. The claim about Harris being shocked by her defeat and considering future political moves is based on a book by journalists Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen, which lends some credibility but requires further verification. The story's reliance on secondary sources, such as the New York Times report and the book, introduces potential areas needing additional corroboration to ensure truthfulness.

6
Balance

The story presents a viewpoint that is largely supportive of Kamala Harris, emphasizing her potential and talent as a candidate. However, it lacks counter-perspectives or input from critics of Harris or her campaign team, which would provide a more balanced view. The focus on Clyburn's supportive comments and the narrative of Harris being let down by her team may skew the reader's perception, omitting other possible reasons for her electoral defeat. Including a broader range of perspectives would enhance the article's balance.

8
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow of information. It effectively presents Clyburn's comments and the narrative surrounding Harris' campaign and future plans. The language is straightforward, making it accessible to a general audience. However, the article could improve clarity by providing more context or background information on the 2024 election and Harris' role in it, helping readers unfamiliar with the topic understand the significance of the claims.

7
Source quality

The article references credible sources, including Rep. James Clyburn and journalists Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen. These sources are generally reliable, with Clyburn being a notable political figure and the journalists having authored a book on the subject. However, the story would benefit from direct quotes or statements from Harris herself or her campaign team to provide firsthand insights. The reliance on secondary reporting from the New York Times and interpretations from a book introduces some degree of separation from primary sources.

6
Transparency

The article lacks transparency in terms of the methodology used to gather information and verify claims. While it cites a book and mentions a New York Times report, it does not provide detailed context or explanations of how these sources were used. The absence of direct quotes from Clyburn or Harris' team limits the transparency of the claim basis. Providing more context on the sources and their potential biases would improve the article's transparency.

Sources

  1. https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-clyburn-throws-kamala-harris-campaign-under-bus-says-team-failed-her
  2. https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-clyburn-declares-support-kamala-harris-dem-nominee-biden-has-bow-out-i-support-her
  3. https://www.axios.com/2024/08/20/james-clyburn-dnc-kamala-harris
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwA6sP9AWFI
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z9SNMxdlug