As history showcases, William Henry Harrison, our ninth president and final holder of the office bearing the status of a British subject, is remembered for setting quite a number of records. His most extraordinary achievements included his Whig Party’s triumph, an overly protracted inaugural speech and dying shortly into his presidential term, marking the shortest reign in the Oval office. Unfortunately, his efforts to redeem his initial presidential election failure by winning the subsequent one have rarely been emulated since his time, save only by Nixon significantly later.
A handful from history, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Grover Cleveland, and Donald Trump have exhibited the ability to maneuver a win afterwards, even after experiencing a loss. However, it is more common to note persistence in failure, rather than in redemption, as the rest who dared to take a second chance right after their first defeat ended up losing again.
Prominent failures, such as Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Thomas Dewey, witnessed back-to-back disappointments. Likewise, the likes of Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan accrued a trio of successive defeats. It’s increasingly apparent that voters have little patience for the defeated. For Kamala Harris, whose rumored interest in the presidency has triggered a whirlwind of speculation, this does not bode well.
The Democratic Party is grappling with a significant wave of discontent and loss of popularity, a fact underscored by the party’s net unfavorability rating of negative 30 points, almost tripling that of the GOP. Their popularity is reportedly at its lowest in more than three decades, revealing a deep discontent towards the party from the Democrats themselves. Their poor performance against Trump and anemic response to his actions since his time in office have tarnished the party’s image.
In the swirl of disdain and disenchantment brewing within the Democratic Party, Kamala Harris has unfortunately become an emblematic figure. However, dissatisfaction isn’t a uniform sentiment, it varies markedly between the party’s progressive and more centrist members. The left-leaning faction predominately feels that the Democrats are not putting up a sufficient fight, while centrists think the party’s troubles stem from championing the wrong causes and veering excessively left on social and identity politics.
Drawing these discordant factions together is their common hunger for victory. Harris initially seemed primed for a 2024 presidential nomination due to Biden’s express intention to choose a female and later, an African American vice president. Thus, her challenges don’t arise from her gender or ethnicity, but rather from her failure to broaden the Democratic coalition’s appeal to voters.
Victory for the Democrats hinges on securing the erstwhile Trump voters. The disappointment with Harris is not rooted solely in her inability to stoke Democratic supporters’ turnout, but also in her failure to resonate with the evolving electorate. Her discourse appeared too academic and her convictions as though they were solely the products of focus groups, eluding authenticity, something that the electorate strongly yearned for.
Adding to her woes were her decisions to remain unswervingly aligned with Joe Biden, against the tide of public opinion. Her maiden interview on ‘The Late Show’ post-release, a platform predominantly viewed by the ideological spectators, unmistakably signaled her political direction.
This ingratiating attempt targeting a single section of voters was faulty as it isolated the broader voter base, imperative for clinching a victory. The Democratic Party would need to win over that larger, more ideologically diverse section. This strategy, if continued, could lead to her being remembered merely as a piece of political trivia, rather than an influential figure in the annals of American political history.
Harris’s perspective and strategy echo the sentiments of a liberal arts college dean more than they do those of a captivating, inspiring leader capable of mobilizing a large swathe of electorate. Except for reproductive rights, her convictions seemed to be tailored to the whims of focus groups, a method that is increasingly falling out of favor with a public seeking authenticity and sincerity in their leaders.
Moreover, her decision not to distance herself from Joe Biden’s controversial presidency shows a lack of political acumen and insight. She seems hesitant to upset the status quo, even when turmoil and dissatisfaction are spreading through her own party. This hesitation could spell doom for her potential future presidential aspirations.
Harris’s debut interview post-office on ‘The Late Show’ offered a telling glimpse into her leaning towards pleasing a specifically ideological audience. However, her approach appears flawed as it overlooks the necessity to connect with the general voter base, where the real power to decide elections resides.
The Democratic Party’s rescue requires a leader who can unite, inspire and most importantly, win the trust of the majority of its mix of ideological perspectives. If they choose to back Harris again, it would suggest they have disregarded their past losses and are ready to make the same mistakes. This could relegate her historical significance to a trivia point, rather than a reputed presidential figure.
Should she continue her political journey with such questionable decision-making and an uncritical association with Biden, the question won’t be ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’ Instead, she may need to correct anyone who assumes she held that role. Her path to the presidency looks increasingly unlikely, and these actions only serve to further alienate the voters the Democratic Party desperately needs.
In summary, the Democratic Party is caught in a whirlpool of unpopularity and dissent, and amidst all this, Kamala Harris features as a symbol of discontent. Her inability to unify diverse factions and touch the hearts of disgruntled voters has left her on shaky footing. Unless a substantial shift in strategy takes place, Harris’s ambitions may end up as mere footnotes in American political history books, rather than making the significant mark she undoubtedly aspired to.
The post Persistent Failure: Kamala Harris Limps Alongside Unpopular Biden appeared first on Real News Now.
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