Donors leave call with Kamala Harris frustrated and annoyed

PROVINCETOWN, Mass. — A call Friday featuring Vice President Kamala Harris and about 300 major Democratic donors left many who dialed in frustrated, with one donor declaring it “ludicrous” shortly before it ended, according to two sources familiar with the call.

One person on the call referred to it as “mismanaged” and “rushed.” They added expectations had not been managed well and some participants left feeling admonished. 

That person and two other sources said many donors joined hoping to get an insider’s view of how to move forward in the wake of President Joe Biden’s dismal debate performance and the growing number of Democrats calling for him to drop out of the race. Instead, they said donors left the call feeling disappointed and like they had not gained any new insights or helpful information. 

“It was a total failure,” said one source who was on the call and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide a candid assessment. “It was damaging. It was poor planning.”

The call had been organized by Jen O’Malley Dillon, the chair of Biden’s campaign, and not by the campaign’s finance team, according to a source familiar with the planning. One of the sources who was on the call said that the donors who participated represented a wide range of views — some diehard Biden fans, some unconvinced about his path forward and many views in between.

At the end of the call, hundreds of participants were unmuted, and one person declared that the call was “ludicrous,” according to two of the sources.

One source stressed that they took the comment to mean that the call was poorly run and not as a criticism of Harris. 

During the call, Harris, who was asked to join the call by Biden’s senior advisors, praised Biden, according to campaign officials. 

“We know which candidate in this election puts the American people first: Our President, Joe Biden,” she said according to the campaign officials. “With every decision he makes in the Oval Office, he thinks about how it will impact working Americans. And I witness it every day.”

Harris also spoke positively about Democrats’ chances of beating former President Donald Trump. “Something I believe in my heart of hearts,” Harris said according to campaign officials. “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. We are going to win.”

NBC News reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

The fallout from the call comes as donations to the Biden-Harris campaign and Democratic groups have plummeted and as Harris has been deployed several times to speak with donors as questions swirl over Biden’s future on the ticket.

The call with donors started with presentations from field organizers who expressed anger at the ongoing debate within the Democratic party about backing President Biden, given what they’ve seen and heard from voters on the ground, according to one source with direct knowledge of the discussion.

One source said before Harris joined there seemed to be an effort to stall, which they said is normal for events with high ranking officials. But what angered many donors, this source said, was that during the wait — which was about 20 minutes — donors were “admonished.” Participants of the call were told they needed to “lock in and get behind” Biden and to not pursue efforts to push out the president.

“Please help us turn down the volume on this conversation publicly,” Melissa Morales, founder and president of Somos Votantes, said on the call, according to a transcript obtained by NBC News. “It’s time to stop the leaks and the rampant rumors. Your message has been heard and received. But every day that we continue this publicly chaotic conversation, we come closer to a loss — no matter who the nominee is.”

That didn’t sit well with some on the call. 

“These are donors who are not used to getting admonished and told what to do,” the source said. 

Another source who was on the call and is supportive of Harris being the Democratic nominee pushed back on the donor’s feelings of frustrations. 

The person said while many donors thought they were going to get insightful and confidential information, they immediately went to the media and proved why they shouldn’t get it.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Harris spoke at a campaign fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass. and praised Biden as one the most consequential presidents in history. 

Harris garnered applause at various parts of her speech talking about her and Biden’s record including advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ community. 

But, the loudest applause from the crowd came when someone in the crowd of 1,000 people shouted “Go get him Kamala,” as Harris criticized Trump. 

The applause lasted for several seconds as Harris smiled and looked out onto the cheering crowd of some one thousand people.

After Harris left the stage, Lennie Alickman, 63, said she wanted to see Biden step aside.

“She is on a tightrope. She has to be very careful not to alienate Biden,” Alickman said when asked about Harris praising Biden throughout the speech. “I actually would like to see Kamala at the top of the ticket. She could carry out and continue the policies of the Biden administration. I love Biden but I’m not sure he is up to the job. And, I’m worried he is going to lose against Trump.”

John Newton, 75, who attended the fundraiser, also said he believes Biden needs to drop out of the race and wants to see Harris become the party’s nominee. 

“I love Joe,” Newton said. “In a business context, it’s like your 81 year old salesman that’s goofed up at the convention and not making his numbers. And, you gotta go in and tell him, ‘Judy is replacing you.’ It’s no fun. But sadly that has to happen.”

Harris closed her speech at the event which was said to have raised $2 million by talking about her campaign manager when she ran for district attorney in San Francisco.

She said he told her, “You must recognize what you’re up against — and know that those who oppose progress will always try to suggest that a movement for freedom is somehow subversive and that it undermines who we are as a nation or our traditions. But what we know is that it strengthens who we are as a nation when we fight to expand rights.”