PROVINCETOWN, Mass. – A Friday call featuring Vice President Kamala Harris and about 300 major Democratic donors left many callers frustrated, with one donor declaring it “ludicrous” shortly before it ended, according to two sources familiar with the call.
One person on the phone described it as “misorganized” and “rushed”. He added that expectations were not well managed and some participants did not remember.
The person and two other sources said many donors joined in hopes of getting an insider’s look at how to move forward after the incident. President Joe Biden‘s dismal debate performance and many Democrats are calling for him to drop out of the race. However, he says donors leave the calls feeling disappointed and feeling like they didn’t gain new insights or useful information.
“It’s a total failure,” said one source who spoke on the phone and spoke on the condition of anonymity to give an honest assessment. “It’s devastating. It’s a bad plan.”
The call was arranged by Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign chairman, and not the campaign’s finance team, according to sources familiar with the plan. One of the sources on the call said the donors in attendance represented a wide range of views — some diehard Biden fans, some unsure of his path and many views in between.
At the end of the call, hundreds of participants were speechless, and one person described the call as “ludicous,” according to two sources.
One source confirmed that he took the comments to mean that the call was not made and was not a criticism of Harris.
During the call, Harris, who was asked to join the call by a senior Biden adviser, praised Biden, according to campaign officials.
“We know which candidate in this election puts the American people first: Our President, Joe Biden,” he said, according to campaign officials. “With every decision he makes in the Oval Office, he thinks about the impact on working Americans. And I witness that every day.
Harris also spoke positively about the Democrats’ chances of defeating the former President Donald Trump. “Something I believe in in my heart,” Harris said according to a campaign official. “This is what I need to hear and what you need to do when you go. And tell your friends too. We will win this election. We will win.”
NBC News reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.
The fallout from the call comes because donations to the Biden-Harris campaign and the Democratic group have dropped and because Harris has been assigned several times to talk to donors amid questions about Biden’s future on the ticket.
The call with donors began with a presentation from the field committee that is angry with the ongoing debate in the Democratic Party about supporting President Biden, because of what they have seen and heard from voters in the field, according to one of the sources with direct knowledge of the discussion. .
One source said before Harris joined, there was an attempt to quit, which he said was normal for high-profile events. But what angered many donors, this source said, was that during the wait – about 20 minutes – the donors were “warned”. Participants of the call were told that they should “lock up and back off” Biden and not make efforts to impeach the president.
“Help us reduce the volume of this conversation publicly,” Melissa Morales, founder and president of Somos Votantes, said on the call, according to a transcript obtained by NBC News. “It’s time to stop the leaks and the spreading rumors. Your message has been heard and received. But every day we continue this chaotic conversation in public, we are closer to losing – no matter who the nominee is.
That doesn’t sit well with some on the phone.
“This is a donor who is not used to being warned and told what to do,” the source said.
Another source who called and supported Harris for the Democratic nomination denied any frustration from donors.
The man said that many donors thought they would get discreet and confidential information, they went straight to the media and proved why they didn’t get it.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Harris spoke at a campaign fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass. and praised Biden as one of the most important presidents in history.
Harris received applause in various parts of the speech about her and Biden’s record including advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
However, the loudest applause from the crowd came when one of the 1,000 people chanted “Go get Kamala,” as Harris criticized Trump.
The applause lasted for several seconds as Harris smiled and looked at the cheering crowd of a thousand.
After Harris left the stage, Lennie Alickman, 63, said he wanted to see Biden step aside.
“He’s on the ropes. He has to be careful not to alienate Biden,” Alickman said when asked about Harris praising Biden during the speech. “I really want to see Kamala at the top of the ticket. She can do it and continue the policies of the Biden administration. I love Biden, but I’m not sure if he’s going to work. And, I’m worried that he’s going to lose against Trump.
John Newton, 75, who attended the fundraiser, also said Biden should drop out of the race and would like to see Harris become the party’s nominee.
“I love Joe,” Newton said. “In a business context, it’s like your 81-year-old salesman who goofed off at a convention and didn’t make the numbers. And, you have to go in and tell him, ‘Judy replaced you.’ It’s not fun. But sadly this has to happen.
Harris closed his speech at the event, which he said raised $2 million, by talking about his campaign manager when he ran for district attorney in San Francisco.
He told them, “You have to know what you’re doing – and know that those who oppose progress will always try to suggest that the freedom movement is subversive and that it destroys who we are as a nation or our traditions. But what we do know is that strengthen who we are as a nation as we fight to expand our rights.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com