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Los Angeles Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Run for president? Start a podcast? Tackle AI? Kamala Harris' options are wide open
Former Vice President Kamala Harris closed a big door when she announced Wednesday that she would not run for California governor. But she left open a heap of others. Departing presidents, vice presidents, first ladies and failed presidential candidates have pursued a wide variety of paths in the past. Empowered with name recognition and influence but with no official role to fill, they possess the freedom to choose their next adventure. Al Gore took up a cause in global warming, while George W. Bush took up painting. John Kerry and Hillary Clinton went on to become secretary of State, while Donald Trump fought off prosecutors, launched new business ventures and plotted his return to power. Barack and Michelle Obama grew their foundation, wrote books and started a production company — and both have done podcasts, too — while remaining prominent voices within the Democratic Party. Of course, Harris could focus all her energy on another run for president in 2028. But how would she do that, and what would she do to remain politically relevant in the meantime? Which other paths might she choose instead? 'She just finished writing a book. She's finally decided she's not running for governor. But to be prescriptive about what role she's going to play next and how it's going to look would be premature,' said Harris senior advisor Kirsten Allen. Experts in power and political leadership expect Harris' next move to be something in the public eye, given she is relatively young at 60 and no doubt wants her last chapter in the spotlight to be something other than her humbling loss to Trump in the 2024 presidential election. 'Even if it isn't the governorship of California, the idea of wanting something else other than the 2024 election to be the last thing Kamala Harris ever did would be very appealing,' said Gregory H. Winger, an assistant professor of public and international affairs at the University of Cincinnati who has studied former presidents' lingering influence. Winger said his research showed those 'most active in trying to be influential' in their post-White House years were those whose time in office ended on a sour note, such as failing to win reelection. 'It's kind of a frustrated ambition that then leads into higher activity,' Winger said — and Harris has that. In her announcement about not running for governor, Harris was careful to leave her options open — framing her hopes for the future around ideals such as 'fighting for the American people.' She said she is a 'devout public servant' who has long believed the best way to make a difference was to 'improve the system from within.' But she also said 'our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people,' and that 'we must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking — committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.' Harris said she looked forward talking to more Americans while helping to elect other Democrats. Within 24 hours, she had announced a book deal for her forthcoming memoir, '107 Days,' which will chronicle her whirlwind 2024 presidential campaign, and her first interview since the election on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' on Thursday night. Nathanael Fast, director of the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making at the USC Marshall School of Business, said Harris' talk of 'getting back out and listening' is consistent with her wanting to reclaim a prominent national role. That could mean another presidential run, he said, but it could also mean something else — particularly in the short term, where she has work to do recasting people's perceptions of her. 'If she can create a compelling narrative about who she is, what she's done, what happened in the last election and where she's headed next,' Fast said, 'she'll be more likely to succeed.' Fast said his bet is that she runs for president, but he could also see her going the route of Gore — who, after losing the presidential election, decided to move in a different direction to have worldwide impact by addressing climate change. 'I can imagine someone like Harris taking on artificial intelligence and saying, 'My whole thing is trying to influence the national conversation around what's going to happen with AI,'' Fast said. Artificial intelligence was part of her portfolio as vice president and is a topic Harris cares deeply about, said a source familiar with her thinking who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about her next steps. Harris also will have to tread carefully as she works to reassert her influence in the Democratic Party, which is still reeling from a second loss to Trump, experts said. Democrats have struggled to unify the disparate elements of their party and settle on kitchen-table messaging that appeals to voters about the everyday challenges they face, said Sara Sadhwani, a politics professor at Pomona College. After she lost to Trump, a convicted felon targeted with several other criminal investigations, 'Harris exemplifies the inability to thread that needle.' Whatever Harris does to break through, it won't be easy in today's saturated media and political marketplace, which is so vastly different from what other former White House occupants faced. After he declined to run for reelection in 1928, former President Coolidge wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column. Today, Harris would be more likely to launch a podcast — but whether it will catch on nationally is anyone's guess. Winger said Harris does have massive name recognition, and Fast said she has many of the important forms of 'capital' for a leader to continue being successful and influential — including financial and social. Still, 'it's tough,' Winger said. 'It's a very different media ecosystem just because of how crowded and how fractured it has become.' Kyle Lierman, who worked for more than six years in the Obama White House, is now chief executive of Civic Nation, a nonpartisan nonprofit that houses several education, gender equity and voter initiatives — including When We All Vote, the voter initiative Michelle Obama launched in 2018. Lierman said he is excited to see what Harris does next, as it's likely to show her 'best side.' 'When you're at the White House, you are working on a dozen different topics every day, and you are trying to make as big an impact as possible before the clock runs out,' Lierman said. 'And when you leave, you have an opportunity to step back, think longer term, and go deeper on a few issues that you're particularly passionate about. And I think that's liberating in some ways.' Former Sen. Laphonza Butler, a longtime friend of Harris', said the former vice president might draw from the blueprints laid out by her recent predecessors. 'Whether you're talking about the Clinton Global Initiative or When We All Vote ... or the work that's happening at the Obama Foundation, I think there's plenty of examples,' Butler said. Many former presidents have leveraged their experience in foreign affairs — and existing relationships with foreign leaders — to continue holding sway in international relations, particularly when members of their own party return to power. President Clinton, for instance, used President Carter in that way. Andra Gillespie, a political scientist at Emory University, said Harris could be 'really effective' in bolstering organizations that work for racial justice and to elect women, but said 'that's not what she was organizing her political career around' before the 2024 election and it may not be the path she chooses now. Gillespie said she read Harris' statement as indicating that she was most interested in finding a way to force change outside of government. She said she could see Harris — who is already in California, and whose husband Doug Emhoff is an entertainment lawyer — moving into production and podcasts like the Obamas. Gillespie said she also could see Harris working closely with Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, D.C., on fundraising or building out a new center of study, as Joe Biden did at the University of Delaware. 'She's still relatively young, and still could have a good 15 to 20 years of active engagement ahead of her,' Gillespie said, 'in whatever form she wants that to take.'
2 days ago
- Business
'Huge week' of economic data set to test Trump's tariffs
A flurry of major economic news over the coming days will provide a barometer of the U.S. economy as President Donald Trump's tariffs steer the nation toward a trade policy untested in recent history. The economy has largely hummed along so far this year, defying doomsday warnings from many forecasters fearful of the effects of levies. A cascade of major indicators and a key policy decision this week could display continued resilience or reveal signs of a cooldown, economic experts told ABC News. "It's a huge week – this is the Super Bowl for economic data," Michael Jones, an economist at the University of Cincinnati, told ABC News. "It's certainly a test for Trump's tariff policy." For starters, a fresh report on gross domestic product, or GDP, on Wednesday will offer the latest look at what's considered the top gauge of economic health. Economists expect the GDP to have grown at 2.3% on an annualized basis over three months ending in June, rebounding from a contraction of -0.5% during the previous quarter. "The big thing that we'll be looking for is the GDP number," William Hauk, a professor of economics at the University of South Carolina who studies international trade, told ABC News. "A surprisingly strong number would be a good sign for tariffs." The modest but steady level of growth expected by economists would suggest economic activity remained largely unbothered by tariffs, but the data may be clouded by the levies, analysts said. The government's GDP formula subtracts imports in an effort to exclude foreign production from the calculation of total goods and services. Changes in the reading on this account do not reveal either underlying economic weakness or strength. The measure of GDP fell over the first three months of the year, largely due to a surge of imports as firms stockpiled inventory to avoid far-reaching tariffs. Conversely, a potential dropoff in imports over the second quarter could inflate the second quarter GDP figure, analysts said. Hours after the GDP report, the Federal Reserve will announce its latest decision on the level of interest rates. Investors peg the chances of interest rates holding steady at an overwhelming 97%, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment. Such a decision would mark five meetings and seven months since the Fed last adjusted interest rates. The federal funds rate stands between 4.25% and 4.5%, preserving much of a sharp increase imposed in response to a pandemic-era bout of inflation. The Fed has adopted a wait-and-see approach as it observes the effects of Trump's tariffs. A decision to hold interest rates steady would indicate persistent concern among Fed policymakers about the possibility of substantial inflation as a result of the tariffs, analysts said. The decision is set to arrive less than a week after Trump made an unusual visit to the Fed, ratcheting up pressure on the central bank as the president calls for lower interest rates. "The Fed chair has made clear he's data dependent," Jones said. "He won't make decisions on a whim or at Trump's command." On Friday, the federal government will release a jobs report, offering a lens into hiring decisions made by employers and, in turn, their sense of confidence in the economic outlook. Economists expect the U.S. to have added 100,000 jobs in July, which would mark solid hiring but a slowdown from 147,000 jobs added a month prior. The anticipated performance would come in below a monthly average of 130,000 jobs added so far this year. "The labor market is not collapsing, but it is starting to run on tired legs," Cory Stahle, an economist at Indeed, told ABC News in a statement. Even as the initial economic impact of tariffs takes shape, the policy remains in flux. The flurry of economic news this week will coincide with a legal test that could undo a major swathe of tariffs. A federal appeals court is set to hear oral arguments on Thursday after a pair of rulings in May cast doubt over the emergency authority invoked by Trump to impose so-called "reciprocal tariffs." Meanwhile, the White House is threatening additional tariffs on dozens of countries as it races toward a deadline on Friday. Trump struck trade agreements in recent days with major trade partners like Japan and the European Union, but key partners remain without a deal. While fresh information this week could prove significant, forecasters still face challenges posed by fluctuating tariffs and unforeseen shifts in the data, Jones said. "I wouldn't take too strong of a conclusion from just one week," Jones added.
Hamilton Spectator
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Desmond Ridder returns to Cincinnati, signs with Bengals to battle for backup QB spot
CINCINNATI (AP) — Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who led the University of Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff spot in 2021, signed with the Bengals on Sunday. Ridder is entering his fourth season and gives the Bengals another veteran backup behind Joe Burrow. Ridder has played in 25 games and made 18 starts in previous stops with Atlanta and Las Vegas. He has passed for 4,002 yards in his career with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has rushed for five scores. Jake Browning has been the Bengals' number two quarterback the past two seasons and has played in 12 games, including seven starts in 2023 after Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Logan Woodside was waived to make room for Ridder. Cincinnati also announced the signings of defensive tackles McTelvin Agim and Taven Bryan, along with center Andrew Raym. The defensive line signings are likely to provide depth after first-round pick Shemar Stewart did not report with the rest of the rookies on Saturday, and Trey Hendrickson, last year's NFL sack leader, expected to hold out as he seeks a new contract. Veterans report on Tuesday, with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday. ___ AP NFL:
San Francisco Chronicle
20-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Desmond Ridder returns to Cincinnati, signs with Bengals to battle for backup QB spot
CINCINNATI (AP) — Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who led the University of Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff spot in 2021, signed with the Bengals on Sunday. Ridder is entering his fourth season and gives the Bengals another veteran backup behind Joe Burrow. Ridder has played in 25 games and made 18 starts in previous stops with Atlanta and Las Vegas. He has passed for 4,002 yards in his career with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has rushed for five scores. Jake Browning has been the Bengals' number two quarterback the past two seasons and has played in 12 games, including seven starts in 2023 after Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Logan Woodside was waived to make room for Ridder. Cincinnati also announced the signings of defensive tackles McTelvin Agim and Taven Bryan, along with center Andrew Raym. The defensive line signings are likely to provide depth after first-round pick Shemar Stewart did not report with the rest of the rookies on Saturday, and Trey Hendrickson, last year's NFL sack leader, expected to hold out as he seeks a new contract. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Desmond Ridder returns to Cincinnati, signs with Bengals to battle for backup QB spot
CINCINNATI (AP) — Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who led the University of Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff spot in 2021, signed with the Bengals on Sunday. Ridder is entering his fourth season and gives the Bengals another veteran backup behind Joe Burrow. Ridder has played in 25 games and made 18 starts in previous stops with Atlanta and Las Vegas. He has passed for 4,002 yards in his career with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has rushed for five scores. Jake Browning has been the Bengals' number two quarterback the past two seasons and has played in 12 games, including seven starts in 2023 after Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Logan Woodside was waived to make room for Ridder. Cincinnati also announced the signings of defensive tackles McTelvin Agim and Taven Bryan, along with center Andrew Raym. The defensive line signings are likely to provide depth after first-round pick Shemar Stewart did not report with the rest of the rookies on Saturday, and Trey Hendrickson, last year's NFL sack leader, expected to hold out as he seeks a new contract. Veterans report on Tuesday, with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP NFL:
