During their recent campaign stop in the western region of Wisconsin, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz seemed to revel in their self-proclaimed ‘joyful warrior’ energy. Apparently oblivious to the residents’ escalating concerns, they visited the Eau Claire crowd. One can’t help but chuckle when comparing their facade of enthusiasm with strides made by the Republican vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance; who was quite popular at his inaugural Wisconsin campaign stop, held since being endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Of course, Harris and Walz’s Eau Claire visit came on the heels of Walz’s introduction as Harris’ running mate. Their seemingly strategic choice to rally near JD Vance’s campaign stop seemed more like a desperate bid for attention, rather than any true show of grassroots supporters.
The duo proudly touted their plans for ‘fighting for a brighter future’, using familiar buzz words like ‘affordable housing’, ‘health care’, ‘child care’ and ‘paid leave’. Yet, their numerous previous stints in public office offer little evidence of them making such sweeping changes.
Harris stated, ‘We’re all here because we love our country,’ and indicated her belief that combatting for the country’s ideals was an act of patriotism. Yet, one may wonder how her policies align with these ideals.
Governor Walz attempted to champion the cause of non-violence for establishing political differences, and hinted that former President Trump plans to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and impose conservative views on topics like abortion. Alarmist tactics, such as these, only serve to further polarize an already divided country.
As for measures of voter enthusiasm leading up to an election, it seems Democrats are left clinging to superficial indicators such as traffic jams and waiting times at rallies. In the Eau Claire stop, there were reported waits of two hours or more, suggesting that the Democratic party is actively inconveniencing its own base.
Despite this, Harris and Walz’s campaign boasted a supposedly impressive turnout of over 12,000 people – somewhat amusing considering previous visits by President Joe Biden to Wisconsin only attracted significantly smaller crowds.
However, the significant presence of attendees could arguably have been attributed to the Grammy award-winning indie folk band Bon Iver, who performed a number of popular tunes during the event. Could it be that the audience was more enthusiastic about the melodies offered by Bon Iver than the promise of change offered by the Democratic duo?
Bon Iver wrapped up his performance with a rendition of ‘The Battle Cry of Freedom.’ Though it was written as a rallying cry during the U.S. Civil War, the adoption of the song by the Harris and Walz campaign poses questions about the former’s approach to fostering unity or inciting further division.
Contrary to popular views, the duo seem to favor their celebrity punctuated events when compared to the authentic grassroots foundation spearheaded by former President Donald Trump and running mate, JD Vance. For instance, the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee had the crowd rocking with performances by beloved musicians Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood.
JD Vance’s visit to Eau Claire threw a shadow over Harris and Walz’s event. Vance criticized Harris for sidestepping media interviews and allegedly running a sloppy campaign, pointing out that her avoidance tactics make her unfit for the presidency. Vance’s views strike a chord when considering the press’s role in guaranteeing transparency in governance.
The assumption that a vice presidential candidate’s home state significantly influences voting patterns is often inflated while neglecting the plausible harm a running mate might bring to a presidential campaign. Julia Azari, a Marquette University political science professor, dismissed the notion that simply selecting a well-known Midwesterner would guarantee a win.
Azari believes the key lies in campaign abilities, alluding to Walz’s relative success in elections as a potential factor in his selection. But one wonders whether winning in a Midwestern local context necessarily translates to a successful national campaign.
Azari also insinuated that Walz’s Midwestern identity could be molded into an appealing national campaign strategy. Yet, reducing the complexities of Midwest values to simple campaign sentiments may further isolate voters who feel misrepresented.
The Democrat’s current state of affairs unfortunately evokes reminiscent feelings of the Obama 2008 campaign. This suggests that the party is locked in a cycle of repetitive strategies, which have thus far failed to achieve lasting, beneficial changes for the American populace.
Desperate Measures: Harris and Walz’s pitiful attempt to match JD Vance’s popularity appeared first on Real News Now.
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