Democratic strategist James Carville said in a podcast interview that former President Trump “knows” that Vice President Harris is the “center of attention” today, adding that he believes she may be “getting carried away” as the election approaches.
In an interview, Carville praised the Harris campaign for its recent surge in momentum. “Greg Sargent's Daily Blast” A statement released on Tuesday said the Trump campaign has appeared “disorganized” and “off balance” since the vice president's arrival.
Asked if Trump is facing challenges and knows it, Carville told the host, “Yes, he is, and he is.”
“He has the survival instinct of a shark and is aware that he doesn't have the same influence he once had,” he said.
“He knows that Harris has become the popular personality he always wanted to be,” said Carville, a former aide to President Clinton. “He knows it. She's no longer the newcomer and she's fighting to get that popularity back.”
He added: “But like I said, he has very primitive survival skills and I think this is what's making him crazy.”
Carville has been one of the most vocal Democrats calling for President Biden to step down as his top candidate for 2024. At the time, he said the party should not automatically select Harris as his successor, but instead have an open process.
But on Tuesday's podcast, the pundit said he's been impressed with Harris' campaign so far.
“You know, I like to be critical of campaigns,” he said, adding, “I honestly haven't seen anything so far that would really make me critical, and I'm sure I will.”
“It's amazing how they managed to put together July 21st, when he withdrew, and then they held a convention, picked a running mate, integrated two staffers, two coaches,” Carville continued. “So, I have to give them high marks. I have no choice.”
Carville added that while Trump has so far outperformed the polls in several key battleground states, he is more optimistic about Harris' chances of winning than it may appear.
“I'm actually a little more bullish on Harris than I am on TV, for a few reasons: First, she's really gained a lot since taking office, and second, the most underrated element of American politics this decade is that a Democrat hasn't lost an election since 2022, since Kansas,” he said, pointing out exceptions.
The Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of national polls has Harris leading Trump by four percentage points, 49.5 percent to 45.5 percent.
The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
