On July 21, embattled incumbent President Joe Biden rocked America with his announcement that he would withdraw his reelection bid. Further rattling the political world, he endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris. With this withdrawal and subsequent endorsement, it became clear that Harris was the puppet master all along. Now, with no puppet to control or meat shield to take cover behind, does Harris truly stand a chance against Trump? And beyond logistics, is she even the best that the Democratic Party has to offer?
A recent series of Fox News polls found that Harris and Trump were virtually tied in Michigan and Pennsylvania at 49% each. With grim polling numbers under Biden, Harris gradually bridging the gap between herself and Trump has been a major source of hope for the Democratic establishment. This hope has transformed into borderline arrogance, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries allegedly telling his congressional counterparts that “Harris will be the 47th president.” Unfortunately, to be the bearer of bad news, it is very possible for history to repeat itself. We should look no further than the example of Hillary Clinton in her ill-fated 2016 presidential campaign.
“Hillary Clinton’s presidency is not a question of if, but when.” These words from liberal icon Bernie Sanders would haunt the Democratic Party after the unforeseen defeat of Hillary Clinton by Donald Trump. Many parallels can be drawn between the 2016 matchup and the bitter campaign now eight years later—man vs. woman, conservative vs. liberal, outsider vs. insider. At the time of the 2016 presidential election, a vast majority of polls were showing Hillary Clinton with a resounding victory. However, Clinton wasn’t the one inaugurated as the 45th president. What happened? The phenomenon that derailed Clinton’s campaign can very well derail Harris’: the silent conservative.
Picture the person who ducks controversy like it’s a draft notice and claims to be “not that political.” The indifference expressed is typically a pipeline to voting for conservative politicians who specialize in appealing to these everyday, disinterested individuals. The failure of the Clinton campaign to effectively grasp the significance of this voting bloc was incredibly consequential to her defeat. As such, Harris must learn from history and avoid potentially alienating these voters. Poll numbers will never reflect the portion of the population that will hesitantly come out to vote based on their mood on Election Day. A large percentage of Americans simply don’t care enough about politics to take a stance on a candidate. By consistently cultivating his public image to appeal to these Americans, Donald Trump shouldn’t be counted out.
With Donald Trump not being counted out, the Democratic Party should consider the countless alternatives to Harris. Most notably, Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan have made significant strides in increasing their name recognition. Though Harris is the easiest option to replace Biden, she is not the best that the party has to offer. With recent elections being characterized as moral battles of deciding between the lesser of two evils—and this election so far being no different—the Democratic Party needs to break this trend if it wants to defeat Trumpism as a whole. Both Newsom and Whitmer have effectively built their national profiles through bold stands during tough times. On the other hand, Kamala Harris has yet to truly refute the “DEI hire” allegations.
Like many other Americans, I find myself afraid of another Trump presidency, yet unconvinced that Harris would make our lives any better. Trump has been able to galvanize his base with an atmosphere of pumped fists, cheering crowds, and determined devotees. Harris inspires no such support. There are far more charismatic figures in the Democratic Party, it just may take some searching. It is imperative that Harris fixes her public image problem, or she will have a rude awakening on election day.
As often quoted on social media, Kamala Harris once famously remarked, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree.” Though her quote was in reference to those who seem ignorant of the context in which they exist, it ironically summarizes the political career of Harris herself. From her subpar Senate career to her weak vice presidency and everything in between, Kamala is a rotten coconut.
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