Kamala Harris says John Kelly got mad when she called him at home during the travel ban

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) speaks at a hearing Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Chinese espionage and policy responses, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 12, 2018. (Sarah Silbiger/The New York Times)SARAH SILBIGER/NYT

GALLERY: Signs Kamala Harris is running for president in 2020 She reportedly met with with Hillary Clinton's inner circle in the Hamptons In July 2017, the New York Post's Page Six reported that Harris met with a number of Democratic donors who were part of Clinton's "inner circle" during her 2016 presidential run. An insider told Page Six that Harris made the visit in order to "meet key people as she takes a national stage, and expands her influence and ambitions.” — **GALLERY: Signs Kamala Harris is running for president in 2020**

**She reportedly met with with Hillary Clinton's inner circle in the Hamptons**

In July 2017, the New York Post's Page Six reported that Harris met with a number of Democratic donors who were part of Clinton's "inner circle" during her 2016 presidential run. An insider told Page Six that Harris made the visit in order to "meet key people as she takes a national stage, and expands her influence and ambitions.”Paul Sancya / Associated Press

Her advisers are already formulating a strategy for the Democratic primaryPolitico reported the senator's advisers have already developed a preliminary strategy for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. One adviser described it as “the SEC primary meets the West Coast offense," meaning an emphasis on southeastern states such as the Carolinas and Georgia, as well as West Coast states including California and Nevada. — **Her advisers are already formulating a strategy for the Democratic primary**

Politico reported the senator's advisers have already developed a preliminary strategy for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. One adviser described it as “the SEC primary meets the West Coast offense," meaning an emphasis on southeastern states such as the Carolinas and Georgia, as well as West Coast states including California and Nevada.Sarah Silbiger / New York Times 2018

She's building an "online army" to help establish a steady stream of campaign fundsPolitico reported in April that Harris is "spending aggressively to bolster her digital campaign infrastructure," a tactic used by Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Sanders relied heavily on individual donations of $200 or less while running against Hillary Clinton. In the first quarter of 2018, the California senator spent over $600,000 on online advertising and digital campaign consulting. — **She's building an "online army" to help establish a steady stream of campaign funds**

Politico reported in April that Harris is "spending aggressively to bolster her digital campaign infrastructure," a tactic used by Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Sanders relied heavily on individual donations of $200 or less while running against Hillary Clinton. In the first quarter of 2018, the California senator spent over $600,000 on online advertising and digital campaign consulting.Bloomberg photo by Andrew Harrer

She has already campaigned in Iowa Harris visited Iowa to campaign for Democratic candidates running in the 2018 midterm election, although the senator insisted she was solely focused on 2018 and not 2020. Iowa is the first nominating contest in the 2020 presidential primaries. — **She has already campaigned in Iowa**

Harris visited Iowa to campaign for Democratic candidates running in the 2018 midterm election, although the senator insisted she was solely focused on 2018 and not 2020. Iowa is the first nominating contest in the 2020 presidential primaries.
Pool/Getty Images

She also recently campaigned in South Carolina South Carolina is the location of another early primary, and Harris has spent time campaigning there in 2018 as well. — **She also recently campaigned in South Carolina**

South Carolina is the location of another early primary, and Harris has spent time campaigning there in 2018 as well.
Zach Gibson / Getty Images

She's a prolific fundraiserIn July 2017, the Chronicle's Joe Garofoli called Harris "the Democrats’ newest fundraising star" after a progressive political action committee said it received an "unusually strong” return on a fundraising email that featured the California senator. After North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp announced she would vote "no" on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, Harris sent out a fundraising email for Heitkamp that raised over $400,000 in less than 24 hours. — **She's a prolific fundraiser**

In July 2017, the Chronicle's Joe Garofoli called Harris "the Democrats’ newest fundraising star" after a progressive political action committee said it received an "unusually strong” return on a fundraising email that featured the California senator. After North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp announced she would vote "no" on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, Harris sent out a fundraising email for Heitkamp that raised over $400,000 in less than 24 hours.TRAVIS DOVE;Travis Dove / New York Times

She's releasing a book in early 2019 Her book is set to come out in January 2019, which is about a year before the 2020 Iowa Caucuses. The timing of the book's release led many to speculate if it would mark the official launch of her presidential bid. — **She's releasing a book in early 2019**

Her book is set to come out in January 2019, which is about a year before the 2020 Iowa Caucuses. The timing of the book's release led many to speculate if it would mark the official launch of her presidential bid.
Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Her performance during the Kavanaugh hearings was widely seen as audition for 2020Left-leaning and right-leaning outlets agreed: Harris's questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was likely done with an eye towards 2020. "Kamala Harris Wins the Democrats’ Kavanaugh Primary," the conservative National Review wrote in September. It evidently paid off, as BuzzFeed News noted the senator's role in the Kavanugh status has earned her "cult status" in Iowa. — **Her performance during the Kavanaugh hearings was widely seen as audition for 2020**

Left-leaning and right-leaning outlets agreed: Harris's questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was likely done with an eye towards 2020. "Kamala Harris Wins the Democrats’ Kavanaugh Primary," the conservative National Review wrote in September. It evidently paid off, as BuzzFeed News noted the senator's role in the Kavanugh status has earned her "cult status" in Iowa.Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press

She voted against an immigration bill that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants because the bill would have given money to build the border wall Her decision to vote against a bill that was backed by other progressives, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, was seen by some as an attempt to distinguish herself from her potential 2020 opponents. The Hill noted that Harris "waited until the last minute" to announce her opposition to the bill, which was likely done to prevent other senators (and 2020 contenders) from jumping ship as well. — **She voted against an immigration bill that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants because the bill would have given money to build the border wall**

Her decision to vote against a bill that was backed by other progressives, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, was seen by some as an attempt to distinguish herself from her potential 2020 opponents. The Hill noted that Harris "waited until the last minute" to announce her opposition to the bill, which was likely done to prevent other senators (and 2020 contenders) from jumping ship as well.
Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press

Oddsmakers really, really like her chances For months, Harris has had the best betting odds of any potential Democratic candidate in 2020 on Oddshark, a betting resource that tracks betting odds across a number of online betting sites. — **Oddsmakers really, really like her chances**

For months, Harris has had the best betting odds of any potential Democratic candidate in 2020 on Oddshark, a betting resource that tracks betting odds across a number of online betting sites.
Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images

In California Sen. Kamala Harris' new memoir "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey," the senator details a phone call with former White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly.

Harris says she called Kelly during the Trump administration's rollout of the travel ban in January 2017, back when Kelly was with the Department of Homeland Security.

"There were a lot of ways Secretary Kelly could have shown responsiveness, a lot of information he could have provided," Harris wrote. "Indeed the American people had a right to this information, and, given my oversight role on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I intended to get it."

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According to Harris, Kelly was annoyed the senator called him while he was at home.

"Instead, he said gruffly, 'Why are you calling me at home with this?' That was his chief concern," Harris wrote. "By the time we got off the phone, it was clear that he didn't understand the depth of what was going on. He said he'd get back to me, but he never did."

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(COMBO) This combination of file pictures created on December 01, 2018 shows top L-R: former US Vice President Joe Biden on December 13, 2016, in Washington, DC; US Senator Cory Booker on January 11, 2017, in Washington, DC; US Senator Kamala Harris on May 5, 2018, in Los Angeles; US Senator Elizabeth Warren on November 28, 2017, in Washington, DC; Bottom L-R: US Senator Sherrod Brown on February 1, 2017, in Washington, DC; US Senator Bernie Sanders on May 23, 2017, in Washington, DC; Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke on June 23, 2018, in Tornillo, Texas; United Nations Secretary-general envoy for climate action, Michael Bloomberg, on March 22, 2018, in Brussels. - As US President Donald Trump faces intensifying scrutiny about possible connections to Russia, opposition Democrats are looking to 2020, and who might challenge the controversial leader for his job. (Photos by AFP)MANDEL NGAN,TASOS KATOPODIS,CHRIS DELMAS,SAUL LOEB,ZACH GIBSON,PAUL RATJE,LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images

Harris was fiercely critical of President Trump's controversial executive order that placed restrictions on travel from seven majority-Muslim countries.

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"Denying people admission to our country because of the god they worship is wrong and counter to our values as a country," Harris said in 2017. "This was a decision clearly driven more by politics and trying fulfill a campaign promise rather than national security."

Harris is widely expected to run for president in 2020, and her decision to release a memoir in early 2019 is seen as an unmistakable sign the senator is eyeing the White House.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

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Kamala Harris says John Kelly got mad when she called him at home during the travel ban

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