TV Star Spars with CNN Host Over ‘Undemocratic’ Harris

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary found himself in a political storm after claiming Vice President Kamala Harris could become the Democratic presidential nominee by “circumventing democracy.”

During a Friday interview on CNN’s NewsNight With Abby Phillip, O’Leary didn’t mince words, taking issue with Harris’s possible ascension if President Joe Biden chooses not to run in 2024.

“I want my president to be a winner,” he declared, expressing skepticism that Harris, with her mixed approval ratings and critics within both parties, fits that description.

O’Leary provided his own speculative backstory, suggesting a power move within the party: “Only 90 days ago, Pelosi went to Biden and said, ‘You need to step aside,’ and convinced him to do so.” He claimed Biden had reservations about Harris’s ability to take over, allegedly asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, “Is she the right person to drive this home?”

O’Leary insinuated that this wasn’t an isolated conversation but part of a larger, possibly orchestrated, strategy by top Democrats. “He could have said, ‘We need to run a process in order for me to make this move,’ but they decided not to,” he argued. “I don’t know who ‘they’ is. Was it Obama, was it Pelosi? I don’t care who it was.”

O’Leary’s speculation has deepened political debate over Harris’s qualifications, sparking reactions across the media and among voters. For O’Leary, a straight-talking investor known for his unfiltered takes, this “backdoor politics” strategy seemed to clash with his ideals of democracy.

“This is the second time the Democratic Party has circumvented democracy,” he proclaimed, drawing comparisons to the contentious 2016 Democratic primary, where some claimed the party favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. To reinforce his point, O’Leary turned to a familiar tactic: stock-picking analogies, suggesting that Harris’s pathway felt more like a closed-room decision than an open competition.

CNN anchor Abby Phillip and her panel weren’t about to let O’Leary’s remarks slide without pushback. Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell questioned O’Leary’s framing of the issue, interjecting, “Your whole schtick has been, ‘Let’s talk about what matters to voters.’ Do you really think voters care about the internecine primary process of the Democratic Party?” Rampell’s point resonated with viewers who felt O’Leary was sensationalizing internal party strategy rather than discussing policies that directly impact the public.

The conversation reached a critical point when Phillip fact-checked O’Leary on his understanding of the U.S. primary system. “Kevin, I know that you are from Canada, but the primary process is not in the Constitution,” Phillip explained, underscoring the difference between party politics and government procedure. She went on to clarify, “The political parties can choose however they want to choose their nominee, and as long as they meet the legal deadlines in the states where they are on the ballot, they can do it however they want. They can decide in December 2023 and just handpick somebody. They don’t have to have a primary.” Phillip’s comments seemed designed not only to counter O’Leary’s claims but also to educate viewers on the flexibility within the U.S. electoral system—a flexibility that doesn’t violate democratic principles.

O’Leary didn’t back down, leaning on his personal ties to the U.S. and framing his concerns around his financial interests in the country. “I was born in Canada, but my kids were born and raised in Boston. All of my investments are in the United States,” he responded. “I want the president, whoever it is, to be a winner.” Phillip, however, continued to challenge him, ultimately declaring, “You’re describing something as undemocratic that has absolutely nothing to do with the democratic process.”

The exchange left viewers debating online, with some agreeing that Harris’s path to nomination should be more transparent, while others supported the constitutional independence of political parties in choosing their candidates.