Willie Brown Questions Harris’s Ambitions: Podcast Reveals Mentor’s Caution

Podcaster Jon Slavet recently sat down with Los Angeles anchor Elex Michaelson to discuss a revealing interview he conducted with former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown—a long-time political mentor to Kamala Harris. In excerpts aired during Michaelson’s program, Brown offered surprising counsel about Harris’s future political path, suggesting she may fare better in a legal role than as a governor.

During one clip from the interview, Brown told Slavet: “She may not want to run for governor … that may not be where she should be going. I think it’s going to be difficult for her to win that job.” The remark struck Michaelson as provocative, especially coming from someone so connected to Harris.

Michaelson pressed Slavet further: “What did Willie Brown say about Kamala Harris? Because there was a lot there.” Slavet praised Brown’s clarity, noting his age—91—and sharpness, and relayed that Brown sees Harris’s strengths more in the judiciary or legal sphere than in executive governance.

Brown, Slavet recalled, had told Harris that when Joe Biden was considering vice-presidential candidates, Harris had asked Brown for advice. Brown chuckled as he admitted that advising her to aim for the post of Attorney General rather than the vice presidency had gotten him backlash. Nonetheless, Brown believed she’d be better suited to that role.

“He believes that Kamala is better in the legal world, not as an executive,” Slavet said. It’s a key point, he added, given what leadership California needs.

Michaelson then brought up Brown’s further speculation: that had Harris pursued the attorney general position, she might someday land on the Supreme Court. Brown also claimed that after his advice, Harris had never called him again—suggesting she chose not to follow the path he envisioned.

Slavet responded: “As of a few months ago … her national standing and prospects for a future run do not look good.” He said polling inside and outside California showed declining support and a waning image for 2028 prospects. The question, he noted, is whether Harris shifts focus back to California or pivots toward another path.

For weeks, speculation has swirled that Harris might run for California governor. Others believe she may aim for another presidential run. But as polling numbers slip, her options seem narrower than ever.