As the ninth U.S. President, William Henry Harrison, broke records with his tremendously long inauguration speech, lasting close to two hours; yet his leadership was anything but lasting, making him the president with the shortest tenure to this date as he succumbed just 31 days into office. An interesting fact about Harrison is that he was the most recent leader to encounter failure during his first presidential bid, only to achieve victory the next round. It seems that ever since then, persistence has failed to pay off, with each presidential candidate who lost initially and gave it another shot in the subsequent election, facing defeat once more. The name Richard Nixon shines as an exception; however, his triumph was not immediate but rather came several years later.
The no-repeat-winners trend can be both intriguing and disheartening, as it seems to underscore the peoples’ alleged disdain for losing candidates. The likes of Adlai Stevenson from the Democratic Party and Thomas Dewey of the Republican side can attest to this, with both having run twice and faced defeat on both occasions. On the same tune, Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan’s hopes were dashed not two but three consecutive times. One cannot help but infer that the voting populace doesn’t favor so-called ‘losers’.
In light of this trend, Kamala Harris, who recently backed down from taking a shot at the governor’s office in California, thereby initiating chatter of her potential second attempt for the White House, might not have much to look forward to. It’s no secret that the Democratic Party isn’t in the best light currently, with their net favorability rating plummeting to a record low of -30 points, a striking contrast to the GOP’s -11 points. In fact, the Democratic Party’s popularity hasn’t been this dismal for a span of over three decades.
Much of the disappointment harbored by the members of the Democratic Party is bred from the party’s continued losses to Trump, and their inefficacious efforts to curb his influence while in power. Kamala Harris, through no specific doing of her own, unfortunately, epitomizes this dissatisfaction. However, the grievances of the Democratic Party members are far from homogeneous.
For the progressives in the party, the bone of contention is the perceived impracticality and insufficiency of the fight put up by their party. In contrast, the more moderate factions express their discontent towards the party’s misguided focus and priorities, asserting that the party has tilted too far towards culture-war and the politics of identity. Strangely enough, the two groups find common ground in their shared pursuit of victory.
Harris’ potential nomination in the 2024 elections primarily rests on the fact that she was chosen for the sake of diversity. As most will recall, Biden was open in his goal to select a female running mate, and as the process progressed, specifically an African American woman. The challenge faced by Harris has little to do with her gender or race; instead, it pertains to her inability to extend the Democratic coalition’s reach.
It is critical for the Democrats to find a representative who can reel in the voters that back Trump. Harris’ campaign flop was not due to a lack of Democratic supporter turnout, but rather her inability to connect and resonate with the evolving electorate. With her speeches resembling more of a college dean’s addresses at a niche liberal arts academy than a potential President’s open dialogue, her rhetoric failed to inspire.
The only possible exception to her standard narrative was her discourse on reproductive rights. In stark contrast to the genuine sentiment voters were seeking, Harris’ convictions felt artificially engineered by numerous focus groups. What worsened the situation was her complacency with Biden’s demand to refrain from distinguishing herself from him. This move demonstrated a lack of the assertive independence and fresh perspective that the voters were craving.
Harris’ decision to foray post-office on ‘The Late Show’, convened by Stephen Colbert, as her launchpad was revealing in itself. There’s no doubt that the substance of the show fed well into the ideological predilections of Colbert’s loyal audience. However, it is this very demographic that Democrats already hold sway over, and it fails to include the audience they genuinely need to captivate to reclaim their standing.
Hence, if the Democrats should choose to place their bets on Harris once more, they are likely setting themselves up for failure yet again. Harris risks joining the annals of history as an obscure piece of trivia rather than as a significant actor of political change. It doesn’t appear likely that ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’ will be her rightful claim.
In light of the ongoing shift in the political landscape, Democrats need to rethink their strategies, especially when it comes to selecting their representatives. Authenticity and a broad appeal are absolute necessities in the current climate, and any failure to embody these traits can lead to failure at the polls.
Moreover, a keen understanding of what the voters desire and how the electorate is transforming is crucial to making an impact. Harris, unfortunately, failed to recognize these aspects and remained handcuffed to outdated approaches and alignments, which eventually led to her downfall.
This highlights the pressing need for major changes, not just in terms of leadership but also regarding the collective ideology and strategy of the party. As the Democratic Party continues to grapple with internal conflict and external perception issues, it faces an uphill battle to regain its standing and influence in American politics.
Getting to the White House will be an arduous task, requiring a candidate with the charisma and acumen to rally the masses around a unified, progressive vision. After all, history has repeatedly shown that voters aren’t too keen on giving second chances to candidates who have failed to make a convincing case on their first attempt.
Unfortunately for Kamala Harris, her previous missteps and the persistent challenges within her own party might make her aspiration for a second shot at the presidency extremely challenging. Not only would she need to overhaul her game plan drastically but also, she would need to be strategic in mobilizing various factions within the party to back her candidacy.
Ultimately, the question for Democrats is not about who could fits their demographic wishes but more about who can project a compelling vision that resonates with voters and broaden the reach of the party. As they move forward in their quest for victory, Democrats must remain aware of this underlying necessity, lest they find themselves marginalized yet again in the political battlefield.
The post Kamala Harris Dares Second Attempt: A Democratic Folly? appeared first on Real News Now.
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