Kamala Harris recently revealed [1] that she suffered from insomnia after Joe Biden endorsed her as his successor and that she was sleep-deprived [2] when she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
In an interview on the podcast “All The Smoke,” hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Harris discussed her decision-making process leading up to her selection of Walz.
Harris, 59, said that after Biden informed her he would not be running for re-election, she faced a whirlwind of activity that left her struggling to sleep. “From the time that the president called me and told me he wasn’t running, I mean, it’s just like everything was in speedy, speedy motion, and I was not sleeping so well,” Harris said during the interview.
No one says they make their best decisions when they are sleep deprived.
What’s going on here? https://t.co/4HsPaFRLEO [3]
— CiceroMN (@cicero_mn) October 1, 2024 [4]
She described waking up early one morning in Washington, D.C., with only a few hours of sleep, feeling the need to cook to calm her nerves. “And that one morning I just, I mean, I had, I don’t know, a few hours’ sleep — and I, you know, I like to sleep. I just got up. I was like — so I just went out and got a pork roast and started marinating it,” Harris shared.
Her family was in town at the time, and while they were still asleep, she began cooking to relax her mind.
The Democratic nominee, currently neck-and-neck with former President Donald Trump in national and swing-state polls ahead of the November 5 election, said she made the “gut” decision to pick Walz, despite the lack of rest the night before.
Harris’ affinity for cooking has been a recurring theme during her campaign, as she has attempted to use it as a way to connect with voters.
Recently, she visited a spice shop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while preparing for her debate against Trump on September 10 [5].
OMG they let Kamala Harris outside and within minutes she blew it, she’s a walking PR nightmare
Reporter: “Best part of debate prep for you?”
Kamala Harris: “BEING AT THE SPICE STORE KACKLE KACKLE”
pic.twitter.com/DdIR4gkVA6 [6]
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) September 7, 2024 [7]
In the same interview, Harris also discussed how she manages stress, mentioning her routine of morning exercise followed by prayer. “A prayer that comes in after that every day,” she said.
Harris also emphasized the importance of not getting bogged down by online criticism, offering a piece of advice: “Number one rule, don’t read the comments.”
The revelation about her insomnia and decision-making process has sparked conversation, especially considering the significance of selecting a vice-presidential running mate.
However, some critics have raised concerns over how Harris’s decision-making could be affected by stress and lack of sleep.
In contrast to Harris’s lighthearted account of choosing her running mate, her opponents have questioned the wisdom of her decision-making process.
Critics argue that sleep deprivation could affect critical decisions, especially in high-stakes roles such as the presidency.
The race between Harris and Trump remains tight, and these types of revelations may play a role in shaping public opinion as Election Day approaches.