Democratic Strategist James Carville Says Kamala Harris Will Win at IOP Forum | News

Top Democratic strategist James Carville and Al Hunt, a veteran political journalist, said during a Harvard Institute of Politics forum on Friday, just four days before Election Day, that they believe Vice President Kamala Harris will win the 2024 presidential election.

The event, titled “Politics War Room,” based on a podcast co-hosted by Carville and Hunt, was moderated by IOP Director Setti D. Warren and Cynthia S. Garcia '27. Carville most notably served as campaign manager for Bill Clinton's successful presidential bid in 1992.

Carville said during the forum that Harris will win because she is ahead of former President Donald Trump in certain polls and her coalition “ranges from Dick Cheney to AOC,” referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y .), a top progressive in Congress.

“She has infinitely better replacement surgery,” Carville said. “She has both Obamas, both Clintons, Beyoncé, LeBron.”

“He has what, Scott Baio? “Hulk Hogan?” Carville added.

Hunt, who spent his career as a journalist for Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, said he thought Harris was smart because she didn't rely on “ID” as part of her campaign strategy.

“It’s really not hard to figure out that she’s a black woman,” Hunt said. “I’m sure there will be people who won’t vote for her because she’s Black, but I don’t think many of those people would vote for her anyway.”

Carville said he disagrees with experts who believe the average voter cares most about issues that directly affect them, such as inflation.

“I think national law is actually more important than the price of eggs, because eggs can rise and fall, but if you lose the peace you may never get it back,” Carville said.

Hunt said 2024 will be “the most important election of our lifetime” because he believes a second Trump presidency would be dangerous for democracy.

“Almost everyone I respect thinks Trump is a fascist,” Hunt said. “Don't give yourself the idea, 'Well, that's just Trump talking.'”

“He’s plotting revenge. He is planning retaliation,” Hunt added. “There will be people who will be charged.”

During the event, Carville also spoke about how to convince apolitical people to pay attention to this year's election, saying that everyone should be interested in politics.

“The power that matters most is political power,” he said. “Ultimately, political power affects more lives, more directly and in more diverse ways – by a factor of 100 – than any other kind of power.”

“Politics is by far the most important thing a person can get involved in,” Carville added.

Many participants at the event said they agreed with the panelists' views.

Tejas S. Billa '28 said Carville has “common sense” and that the Democratic Party can learn a lot from him.

Billa added that Carville “is very confident in what he says, especially when it comes to who will win.”

In an interview with The Crimson, Carville encouraged young people to get involved in politics.

“Just do it,” he said. “Once you show that you have hunger and desire, that you want to learn and that you are absorbing things, then you will be fine.”

Carville also shared his former boss Bill Clinton's favorite piece of wisdom: “Two things: study hard and meet as many people as possible who are not like you.”

“That’s the best advice I’ve ever heard in my life,” Carville added.