William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president and the final office-holder to once hail as a subject of the British Empire, set several intriguing records. Bearing the banner of the Whig Party, he won his way to the presidency. However, his tenure holds the dubious honor of being the shortest presidency in historical record, as his demise came after just 31 incredible days in office. This unique sequence of events makes Harrison a figure of some interest.
Harrison managed to lose his first presidential race but claimed victory in his immediate subsequent attempt. An unusual feat also accomplished earlier by political giants such as Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Interestingly, Richard Nixon lost an election but clinched victory later down the line as opposed to immediately. Subsequent to Harrison’s era, candidates who suffered an initial loss and vied again in the next election, unfortunately, tasted defeat once more.
The likes of Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Thomas Dewey felt the burn of defeat not once, but twice. Both Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan saw their political aspirations dashed across three consecutive attempts each. On the whole, it appears the voting populace demonstrates little patience for those who wear the label of a ‘loser’. This pattern doesn’t inspire much optimism for Kamala Harris.
Harris recently caught attention by opting out of the California gubernatorial race. This decision astonished commentators and numbed political pundits alike, sparking speculation of a potential rekindling of her aspirations for the presidency. This seems a rather audacious move, particularly given the present unpopularity of her party.
Currently, the Democratic Party suffers from a favorability deficit of an alarming 30 points. That’s a smidge short of triple the figure troubling the Republicans, a disparity of 11 points. This lackluster rating positions the Democratic Party as being the most out of favor than any other time in over three decades. The source of this discontent? Their own followers.
A sizable extent of the dismay surrounding the Democrats stems from their lackluster performance against Trump. Not only did they lose the presidential election to him, but they have also posted a remarkably weak resistance against his policies since his assumption of office. Of course, not all the blame for this rests at the doorstep of Kamala Harris. Regardless, she does bear a considerable portion of it, as she has become a symbol of the Democratic disappointment.
The Democratic party’s disgruntled following presents an unusual cocktail of political ideologies. Progressive liberals accuse the party of not putting up a more aggressive resistance against their rivals. Meanwhile, the moderates within their ranks bemoan the party’s pivot to the far-left, focusing on divisive cultural and identity politics. Yet, both factions share a burning desire to claim victory, a common thread uniting them.
Harris’ likely nomination in 2024 was largely seen as an olive branch being extended to those demanding diversity in leadership. Her selection was transparently tethered to Biden’s vocal commitment to having a woman and an African American as his running mate. However, Harris’ problem isn’t tied to her race or gender; it’s her inability to generate any significant appeal that could potentially widen the Democratic base.
While the Democrats are desperate for a leader who can entice and convert Trump’s former supporters, Harris fails to check this box. Her defeat was not a symptom of a lackluster Democratic turnout, but a glaring indication of her incapacity to sway the ever-evolving voter base, hence her lack of appeal.
She came across as an academic administrator at some obscure liberal arts institution, hereby alienating herself from the majority of the voters. Her strong-held values gave the impression of concocted products of focus groups rather than genuine personal convictions. This came at an inopportune time when the electorate was yearning for candidates who exuded authenticity.
Compounding her predicament, she adhered to Biden’s demand for her to stay politically aligned with him, further diminishing her credibility. Her decision to have her maiden interview post-office on ‘The Late Show’ with Stephen Colbert did little more than appeal to Colbert’s ideologically loyal following, which was never the demographic the Democrats needed to convert for a win.
Given the facts, if the Democrats decide to bring Harris back as their candidate once again, if things continue to shape up as they are currently, it’s likely she may become the answer to some obscure trivia question. Unfortunately, it may not be ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’
In conclusion, while the tale of William Henry Harrison serves as a valuable historical lesson, it also holds potential warnings that future contestants like Kamala Harris would do well to heed. However, the decisions in the hands of the Democrats may well determine whether history repeats itself or pens a different story.
The post Fumbling Harris: A Repeat of Mistakes and Defeats? appeared first on Real News Now.
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