Politics usually moves at a snail's pace. Not this time. When President Joe Biden stepped aside on July 21, 2024, the world shifted on its axis. Kamala Harris had exactly 107 days to build a campaign, find a running mate, and convince a divided nation to hand her the keys to the Oval Office. Honestly, it was a "glass cliff" scenario—the kind where a leader is handed the reins only when the situation is already on the verge of collapse.
In her memoir, 107 Days, which she released through Simon & Schuster in September 2025, Harris basically pulls back the curtain on the adrenaline and the anxiety of those 15 weeks. The title isn't just a number; it’s a reference to the shortest presidential campaign in modern history. People often ask about the "107 days Kamala Harris signed" for, and while the "signed" part usually refers to her book deal or the specific legislation she championed during that frantic window, the real story is about the sheer speed of the 2024 cycle.
The Whirlwind Timeline: From Biden's Call to the Ballot
Think about the logistics. Most campaigns take two years. Harris had to do it in the time it takes to grow a decent crop of tomatoes.
On day one, July 21, she was hit with the news. By day two, she had consolidated the delegates. By day fifteen, she was standing on a stage in Philadelphia introducing Tim Walz. It was a "Joe-shaped organism," as she described the campaign infrastructure in her book, and she had to learn to fly that plane while it was already mid-air.
Key Milestones in the 107-Day Sprint
- July 21, 2024: Biden withdraws; Harris begins her "107 days" journey.
- August 6, 2024: Tim Walz is selected as the VP pick.
- August 19-22, 2024: The Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she did 27 drafts of her speech.
- September 10, 2024: The high-stakes debate against Donald Trump in Philadelphia.
- November 5, 2024: Election Day.
What Kamala Harris Signed and Championed
During these 107 days, Harris wasn't just a candidate; she was still the Vice President. She had to balance the campaign trail with actual governance. People often look for specific things 107 days Kamala Harris signed or authorized during this period. While major legislation usually takes months of Congressional wrangling, she used her executive influence and the "bully pulpit" to push specific agendas:
- Reproductive Freedom: She turned the campaign into a referendum on abortion rights. She was the first sitting VP to visit an abortion clinic, and during the 107-day stretch, she signed on to multiple initiatives aimed at protecting patient privacy and access to emergency care.
- The "Freedom" Agenda: She tried to reclaim the word "freedom" from the right. This included pushing for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
- Economic "Populism": She departed slightly from Biden's cautious approach, signing off on proposals for federal bans on price-gouging in groceries and expanding the child tax credit to $6,000 for families with newborns.
The Secret VP Choice: Pete Buttigieg?
One of the most "wait, what?" revelations from her memoir involves her VP search. Harris admits that Pete Buttigieg was actually her top choice on paper. He was sharp, a great communicator, and had a proven track record.
But she didn't pick him. Why?
She felt it was too big of a "risk." Her logic was that the American public was already being asked to vote for a Black woman married to a Jewish man (Doug Emhoff). Adding a gay man to the ticket felt, in her words, like "asking for too much change at once" for a conservative-leaning electorate. It’s a candid, kinda heartbreaking look at the cold math of political identity.
The Debate and the "View" Mistake
The high point of those 107 days was undoubtedly the September 10 debate. She baited Trump, and he took it. She felt optimistic.
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But then came the interview on The View. When asked what she would have done differently than Joe Biden, she said, "There is not a thing that comes to mind." In the book, she acknowledges this was a moment of misplaced loyalty. She didn't want to "stab Joe in the back," but in doing so, she failed to define herself as her own person. It was a pivot point that many analysts think cost her the "change" voters.
The Final Countdown and the Loss
By the time the calendar hit November, the energy was electric, but the "Blue Wall" was thinning. Harris lost Wisconsin by 0.9%, Michigan by 1.4%, and Pennsylvania by 1.7%.
In 107 Days, she describes the "trauma" of election night. She was in denial. She had never lost an election in her life until that moment. She compares the feeling to the 2008 Super Bowl—a total shock to the system.
Why the 107-Day Runway Mattered
Some say 107 days was a gift because it didn't give the opposition time to "define" her. Others say it was a curse because she didn't have time to build her own brand outside of Biden's shadow. Harris herself leans toward the latter. She argues that 107 days simply wasn't enough time to introduce a new vision to a country that felt the current one wasn't working.
What You Can Learn from the 107-Day Saga
Whether you’re a fan of Harris or not, the 107-day campaign is a masterclass in high-pressure leadership. It’s about making impossible choices with zero margin for error.
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Actionable Insights from the 107-Day Campaign:
- The "Glass Cliff" is Real: When taking over a failing project, you have to decide immediately whether to "fly the plane" you’re given or risk a "self-inflicted disaster" by trying to rebuild it mid-flight.
- Loyalty vs. Identity: In leadership, being loyal to your predecessor is honorable, but failing to differentiate your own vision can be fatal.
- The Power of Speed: You can raise $81 million in 24 hours (as she did) if the stakes are high enough, but money can't buy back time.
If you’re interested in the gritty details of the 2024 election, reading the 107 Days memoir is probably your best bet. It isn't just a political book; it's a "suspense novel" about what happens when the clock is ticking and the stakes are literally the future of the country.
To dig deeper, look into the specific swing state data from the 2024 election. It shows exactly where those few percentage points slipped away during that final, frantic 107-day sprint.
Next Steps for Readers:
Check out the full breakdown of the 2024 Electoral College results to see how those 107 days played out in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. You can also find the 107 Days audiobook, narrated by Harris herself, for a more intimate look at her reflections on the race.