Why We're Sure Kamala Harris' Presidential Run Has To Sting For Hillary Clinton

Kamala Harris has kicked off her 2024 presidential election campaign with a blessing from President Joe Biden — but we all know she's not the only woman to pursue the presidency in recent years. 

On July 21, Biden shockingly revealed he would no longer seek a second term as president of the United States, and would instead focus on finishing out his term on a strong note. "My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden said in a statement. "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President ... Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."

Biden's support for Harris kicked off a wave of support from other prominent Democratic figures and celebrities, including Hillary Clinton, who immediately threw her influence behind the presidential hopeful. In addition to a formal statement from her and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Hillary tweeted a more personalized endorsement for Harris. "I've known Kamala Harris a long time. This brilliant prosecutor will make the case against convicted felon Donald Trump and the Project 2025 agenda to take away our freedoms," Hillary post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "But she can't do it alone. Become a part of this historic campaign today." Hillary has also started highlighting Harris' presidential qualities on the social media platform. That said, watching Harris' race for the White House can't be easy for Hillary. 

If Vice President Kamala Harris manages to successfully snag the official nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August, she'll be one step closer to becoming the first woman president in U.S. history, the same role Hillary Clinton was gunning for in 2008 and 2016. And though Clinton's support for Harris has more than proven she's willing to support another qualified female candidate for the role — and she even said in 2014 that "yes, of course there are" other female candidates who could run a successful presidential campaign (via CNN) — watching someone else live out your dreams will always be a hard pill to swallow, politician or not.

Plus Clinton faced a difficult journey after Donald Trump's win. During a 2017 interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Clinton described her reaction after learning of the results. "I just felt this enormous letdown, just kind of loss of feeling and direction and sadness," Clinton revealed. "Off I went, into a frenzy of closet cleaning, and long walks in the woods, playing with my dogs, and, as I write — yoga, alternate nostril breathing, which I highly recommend ... And  — you know, my share of Chardonnay." Clinton also admitted that the transition she faced was hard, prompting a major struggle on her end.

However, it's clear that Clinton has prioritized bolstering support for Harris. 

Whether or not the vice president will be able to make history as the first female president hinges on how Americans feel about Kamala Harris, and whether her support will translate in the voting booth come November. In the meantime, social media has wasted no time rubbing salt in Hillary Clinton's old wounds from past elections. One user, for example, retweeted one of Clinton's 2016 posts, which featured a black-and-white photo of her as a child. "Happy birthday to this future president," Clinton captioned the post, which her detractors have used to taunt her. "I know she's mad as he** right now," reposted one user following the news of Harris' bid for the presidency.

Of course, that post, which has racked up 7.4 million views and more than 130,000 likes, is one of several posts rubbing Clinton's failed campaigns in her face. In response, one user tweeted, "She NEVER finna be president," alongside a crying emoji. "Her chances were as slim as a gate stopping water," replied another. Meanwhile, another added, "Kamala harris is coming to do what hillary never could." As of this writing, that particular opinion has racked up more than 3,600 likes and counting, and has prompted a fierce debate in the comment section. Fortunately, not all users are interested in pitting Clinton and Harris against each other. As one user said, "KAMALA HARRIS WITH HILLARY AS HER VP ... GO MOTHERS."