Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is warning his party not to get cocky about Kamala Harris' presidential bid, warning her "best day" is already behind her.
Joe Biden's decision to end his failing re-election has energized Democrats, but Carville warned that Harris has a long way to go still.
The strategist downplayed the current burst of enthusiasm behind Harris' bid, as she rides a wave of glowing press coverage.
"Right now she’s doing well, very well. But let’s find out why she’s doing very well. She’s doing very well because 72% of the country wanted something different, and she is something different,” Carville said.
Harris' bid has fired up the Democratic base, which had been demoralized by weeks of chaos following Biden's disastrous debate performance. Within a day of Biden ending his campaign, Harris raked in $81 million from donors, and she has seen a bump in the polls.
But Republicans, after getting blindsided by Biden's move, will soon regroup and launch a volley of "brutal attacks," Carville warned. Republicans were "confused" but "they’re getting unconfused now."
Carville warned Democrats that Harris' best days are already behind her.
“But I’m telling you, this is the best day that she’s gonna have for the rest of the campaign," he said.
"Democrats have got to get ready. I hope she can get her campaign, get her operation. It’s hard … you just don’t get into one of these things, turn the key on and it works."
Republicans are hopeful that Harris' momentum will fade after a "honeymoon" period. In the meantime, the GOP is rushing to define Harris as an out-of-touch California liberal with hard-hitting attack ads.
Carville warned MSNBC that Democrats need to get over their "giddy elation" and focus on winning.
“All I’m doing is saying, watch out people. Don’t get too far out there,” Carville told MSNBC. “If we don’t win this, all this good feeling is gonna evaporate and gonna be all for naught.”
The Trump campaign and its allies have focused on Harris' role overseeing the southern border crisis, as well as radical positions she has expressed over the years.
Harris' liberal record is widely seen as an obstacle to winning over swing voters in important Rust Belt battlegrounds.
