Sen. Kamala Harris and San Francisco Mayor London Breed discuss Harris' new book. (Sara Hossaini/KQED)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris was back in the Bay Area promoting her new book "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey" and a simultaneously released children's book called “Superheroes Are Everywhere" this weekend.
Harris' Saturday night book tour stop in San Francisco took place at the Curran Theatre with Mayor London Breed.
The event was billed as a book discussion, but it's clear Harris fans in the audience were really hoping to hear one thing: an announcement that she'd run for President in 2020.
Even Mayor London Breed dipped a toe in.
"You look amazing on the cover...presidential on the cover," said Breed to audience applause and Harris' uproarious laughter.
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It appeared to be a comfortable space for Harris, with Breed joking that she calls Harris 'Momala' along with Harris' kids as she spoke of her friendship with the former San Francisco district attorney, whom she said she considers a mentor when it comes to dealing with city politics.
Harris described entering politics in San Francisco as a demanding, yet flexible, training ground.
In most places, said Harris, "It's really unfortunate that when people run for office there's an appetite that the person running for office will have 'Dee Plan.' Capital 'D' capital 'P' as opposed to what I learned from my mother, who was a scientist--start out with a well-thought-out hypothesis. All of our folks in innovation know this--you roll it out for the first time and there will be a glitch. So, then reconvene and make it better, don't make the same mistake twice," said Harris. "San Francisco allowed innovation."
While Harris didn't face any tough questions, she did seem to touch on past criticism from criminal justice activists who have said her policies as district attorney and later as state attorney general drove up the state's prison population.
"One of my prayers is that I will be judged based on a body of work and not the popularity of any one decision," Harris said.
During the wide-ranging hour, Harris discussed everything from current efforts on Capitol Hill--from her proposal to get rid of the cash bail system and upcoming US Attorney General nomination hearings expected this week to her recipe for feta chicken and her experience performing marriages at City Hall after the battle over Prop 8.
As for whether she'll throw her hat into the Presidential race? She didn't go there, but with the book, she is trying to let people in.
"My mother also raised us to not talk about ourselves. You know, it's not about you, it's about the work, and it's about, but I realized that it is important to talk about the things that motivate you and that's part of why I wrote the book," said Harris.
And the other part? Every presidential candidate seems to have a book these days. We’ll have to wait and see.
