Harris is ‘outworking and outraising’ Trump
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias tells Kathimerini Democratic Party ‘is motivated and revved up’ ahead of November’s US elections
I first met Alexi Giannoulias in early 2013, at an event for Barack Obama’s inauguration. He was chatting with Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer, and they were laughing heartily. Despite his impressive career, which I had closely followed, I couldn’t help but be struck by the confidence with which he stood next to two of America’s most powerful men.
When we spoke a few days ago, he didn’t remember the incident, nor, of course, the joke he had told them at the time. However, he did recall something he recently said to Kamala Harris that had her in stitches when he welcomed her at Chicago’s airport for the Democratic Party Convention. “We were laughing because she keeps telling me that we’re ‘getting older’ and I never listen. So when she saw me injured and on crutches, after she told me she wants me to get better, we laughed because I told her that she’s right: I am not as young as my brain and ego believe myself to be! I think I need a little vacation to Crete so I can jump in the thalassa (sea) to truly heal!”
Giannoulias, the 48-year-old Illinois secretary of state, described by Obama in a 2006 TV ad as “one of the most outstanding young men that I could ever hope to meet,” speaks to Kathimerini about the new energy Kamala Harris’ nomination has brought to the Democratic Party, and the current state of the Republican Party, which he describes as unrecognizable. He reflects on the Greek heritage that shaped him, the family that motivates him, and his mother, who remains his role model. He also reaffirms his commitment to continue his political fight to make life easier for Americans and to create a better world for his daughters to inherit.
You recently wrapped up the Democratic Convention, which just over a month ago was on track to be a very different event. What type of boost did Joe Biden handing the baton to Kamala Harris give the Democrats and what do you think it means for the rest of the campaign?
We have experienced an amazing boost. The morale boost is obvious – you see it in the hundreds of thousands of volunteers signing up for the campaign, in packed arenas, in the hundreds of millions of dollars raised and in the polls. This is a different race than it was in July. And Donald Trump hasn’t faced a candidate like Kamala Harris before. She is outworking him, outraising him and connecting with the American people with a positive message – where he still just spews hate. Two months is still a long time, but Vice President Harris has the momentum and I believe she has the winning formula for beating Trump.
The DNC was in your hometown of Chicago and Chicago’s favorite son – your friend and mentor President Barack Obama – played a major role during the convention. How would you compare the energy at this convention to that of 2008, when Obama was nominated?
The energy level was inspiring. The United Center was louder and more exciting than it has been since Michael Jordan’s playing days. And watching President Obama pass the mantle of hope to VP Harris was special. The party is motivated and revved up in a way that reminds me of 2008. And we should note the unity under these unprecedented conditions. Three presidents – Biden, Obama and Clinton – and three first ladies made a strong case for a Harris presidency. Donald Trump could not even get his vice president or first lady to speak for him in Milwaukee.
During your first campaign in 2006 and your Senate campaign in 2010, you ran against moderate Republicans. Do those type of Republicans still exist or has Donald Trump changed the party in a way that it is not recognizable?
Today’s Republican Party is one that has effectively excommunicated the Bush family, the Cheneys, and its 2012 nominees for president and vice president (Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan). Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and Adam Kinzinger – who all rose with the Tea Party – have all been sidelined for not being hard-line enough. The party of Reagan today equivocates on Russia. The party that used to brag about its support by college graduates now is the party of book bans. And the party that used to have some pro-choice elements is not only the party that overturned Roe v Wade, but the party that wants to persecute women for exercising their right to an abortion.
You just mentioned abortion – and you have taken some initiatives protecting a woman’s right to choose as secretary of state. How much do you think this issue will affect the presidential race?
It is a huge issue. We saw the effect it had in the 2022 midterms and we can tell from Donald Trump’s constantly shifting and incoherent statements on the issue that he is worried about it. Beyond the constitutional right to abortion, the overturning of Roe v Wade demonstrated that the radical right has a clear program to overturn several other rights – for example, marriage equality and maybe even the right to privacy. This is a threat that more and more voters – especially young voters – are taking seriously. Trump and his supporters have shown their hand. And, as Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Enough Americans saw enough of Trump the first time that they won’t give him the chance to keep implementing his radical agenda.
You re-entered public office more than a decade after you left your last position. Why did you come back, and what were your greatest challenges in that comeback?
The decision to come back was difficult. I have young children, was doing well in my career and although I left elected office, I stayed active in public life through charities, nonprofit organizations and service on government boards. When I first ran in 2006, I ran to protect and advance the Promise of America. What pushed me over the edge and back into politics is that I believed that Promise of America might not be there for my daughters. And the challenges were many. Our politics and our public debate is more polarized than ever. Money is playing a greater role than ever. And too many are starting to see people of the other party as “enemies.” But the biggest challenge is that voters trust government – and many other institutions – less than they ever have. And that distrust is an existential challenge for democracy.
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
If we learned anything from the 2024 campaign, it is that planning a decade in advance is useless. I know that I will keep working to restore trust in our government and in our democracy. I will keep working to prove that government can make people’s lives better, and that we make sure none of our fellow Americans is left behind. And, in keeping with the reason that I ran in 2020 to begin with, 10 years from now I certainly will be fighting to leave my daughters a better world than I was born in.
Throughout your career, you have talked about your Greek heritage. How important has this heritage been to shaping who you are as a person and as a public official?
My Greek heritage is the reason I believe in the Promise of America. It is impossible not to keep in mind what challenges my parents had to overcome to leave me and my brothers something better. And they didn’t do it solely through hard work, but with values and pride that they brought with them from Kalavryta and Hania. My parents distilled in us a deep sense of connection to our Greek language, culture, heritage and religion. Being the son of two Greek immigrants drives me every single day to lead a life of meaning and service. I have not forgotten, nor will I ever forget where my parents came from and the sacrifices they made for me. The value that my parents placed on Election Day – treating voting as an obligation and reminding us of the Greek roots of democracy – is at the heart of my commitment to protecting the right to vote and our democratic institutions. My advocacy for immigrants comes from the experience of being a Greek immigrant. And – having lived and played basketball in Greece and having worked on Hellenic national issues – I realize the outsized importance of the US-Greece relationship. I’ve always believed that both countries are stronger the closer they are and Greek Americans have an amazing role to play between Athens and Washington.
We have seen your daughters on stage and at events with you. What role does your family play in helping you maintain balance?
My family gives me perspective – especially being a “girl dad.” You really can’t think too highly of who you are when your daughters roll their eyes at you. Anna, Sophia, Alexia and Mila are on our mind every minute of the day. But more than anything, my family is my absolute motivation. I can’t think about climate change, education or any other issue without thinking about the world I am leaving my daughters. I try to work especially hard because I know how my amazing wife has sacrificed so I can re-enter public life. And I always make sure that I live up to the values that my parents instilled in me – and I still get particularly pumped up when my mother voices approval. Speaking of my mom, she is spending more time back in Hania, but she is still my north star. There is no more selfless, caring and loving person you could ever meet. I try to make her proud every single day. She had a difficult life when she came to the United States, but she persevered through sheer will and she raised us in a household full of kindness, support and unconditional love. I don’t think I ever could have done with my life what my parents did with theirs – they remain my heroes and role models.
