Skip to content Skip to footer

Vice President Harris Tries to Rescue Campaign as Donors Drop Biden

Democrats are reportedly experiencing a campaign finance crisis, losing tens to hundreds of millions in pledged funds.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on July 10, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. Harris spoke to approximately 20,000 members from her sorority in a continued effort to rally support ahead of the upcoming November presidential election.

vice President Kamala Harris called 300 top Democratic donors to urge them to get back on board after party elites turned against Biden’s continued candidacy, following his debate performance.

The VP, who has taken an increasingly central place in the campaign amid reports that top Democratic opponents of Biden want her out, too, rejected the idea that Biden’s battle was un-winnable.

“I will start by sharing something with all of you,” Harris reportedly told donors, per an anonymous listener who spoke to The New York Times. “Something I believe in my heart of hearts, it is something I feel strongly you should all hear and should take with you when you leave. And tell your friends, too. We are going to win this election.”

Harris’ call, which featured LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman splitting from an increasingly MAGA-backing Silicon Valley, was focused on winning back donors to the cause.

The message of optimism comes amidst deeply mixed polling, with some counts suggesting the president could lose multiple key swing states without a dramatic change.

Biden, one of the most economically left presidents in modern American memory, has faced severe scrutiny and calls to quit the race from ultra-rich Democratic donors and pundits alike following his lackluster debate performance more than three weeks ago.

Democrats are reportedly experiencing a campaign finance crisis, losing tens to hundreds of millions in pledged funds, while the Trump campaign pulls in tens of millions a month from Elon Musk and recruits big tech allies to boost fundraising efforts.

But both Biden and Harris have stood steadfast on their ticket, rebuking calls from Hollywood stars, moderate legislators, and media figures alike to switch the party’s candidate just four months out from the election.

Harris’ rescue effort comes after progressives urged their colleagues to get in line behind Biden, with Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accusing Biden’s critics of wanting to toss out the entire ticket, including Harris.

We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.

As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.

Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.

As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.

At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.

Over 80 percent of Truthout‘s funding comes from small individual donations from our community of readers, and the remaining 20 percent comes from a handful of social justice-oriented foundations. Over a third of our total budget is supported by recurring monthly donors, many of whom give because they want to help us keep Truthout barrier-free for everyone.

You can help by giving today. Whether you can make a small monthly donation or a larger gift, Truthout only works with your support.