William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president, held the unique distinction of being the last man in the top office of the United States to have British blood in his veins. He represented the Whig Party – the first from his party to do so – when he ascended to presidency. His renown, however, wasn’t confined to his political affiliation but extended to his verbose and record-breaking inaugural speech, which spanned a marathon-like two hours. Yet this grand victory ended rather abruptly when he became the first sitting president to perish while in service, only 31 days into his tenure.
Harrison’s political career was quite the roller coaster. He initially tasted defeat in the presidential elections only to bounce back and win it the next time around. This feat was first achieved by stalwarts such as Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, and the next was Richard Nixon but much later in time. Distinction also belonged to Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump, being the exclusive duo who won, lost, and then won again. Yet Harrison’s legacy showed any other politician who lost their first presidency bid and tried again in the immediate next cycle also tasted defeat.
It is interesting to reflect on these historical patterns when thinking of Kamala Harris. After announcing her decision not to vie for California governorship, rumor mills started churning about her potential second attempt at occupying the Oval Office. Given the history and the current state of the Democratic Party, these speculations hardly spark enthusiasm among the general populace.
Recent times have been particularly tough for the Democratic Party. Red flags were raised when their net favorability sank to a drastic negative of 30 points – nearly three times the GOP’s negative 11 points. The unfavorable views of the Democratic Party are indeed unparalleled, hitting a record low in the past 35 years.
The Democrats’ internal strife is proving just as damaging as their external perception. Anger is high towards the party, stemming from their loss to Trump and their perceived failure to serve as a substantial roadblock to his policies and actions while in office. Kamala Harris, although not entirely responsible, is unfortunately the emblem of this party-wide dissatisfaction.
Democratic Party discord can be traced among two primary ideologies – the progressives blaming the party for not putting up a worthy fight, and the centrists criticizing the party’s focus as too left-leaning, embroiled in culture and identity politics. However, the shared sentiment among all factions is the desire to triumph. And herein lies the problem for Harris.
The main reason for Harris’s prominence for the 2024 nomination was her identity as a diversity pick. It was clear Biden intended to pick a woman, later specifying a woman of color, as his running mate. The problem for Harris, though, is not her race or gender, but her inability to widen the Democratic coalition’s reach.
Her failure lies not in the lack of Democratic turnout but in her inability to resonate with the ever-changing electorate. Her inadequacy to attract Trump-leaning voters and her rhetoric that was more suited to a liberal arts college dean than national office, posing significant challenges for her political ambitions.
In fact, she came off as a puppet fashioned in a focus group, always parroting the audience’s presumed preferences rather than embodying authentic convictions. The only time her deep-set beliefs came forward was on the issue of reproductive rights. Yet in an environment where authenticity was prized, her lack thereof was a serious handicap.
Harris further blundered by toadying to Biden’s dictate to not alienate herself from him. This failure to assert an independent stance further diminished her chances in the public eye. A telltale sign of this was her first post-office appearance on Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’.
The show is known to cater to an audience that doesn’t waver in its ideological position, and by aligning her first appearance in that platform, Harris may have gravely misjudged the need to connect with a broader audience. The Democrats need to win over the masses, not just the hardcore fans of a late-night talk show.
Should the Democratic Party push for Harris’s nomination again, the likelihood of her becoming an obscure trivia answer far exceeds her becoming the 48th U.S. President. It’s almost like she stands at the junction of irrelevance and historic importance, with the road to insignificance looking more probable.
Having said that, her ambitions and potential inconsistency with what the Democratic voters seek could amp up a spectacle in the political arena. It’s not so much about her as an individual but what she symbolizes: a Democratic Party that’s too out of touch with its voters.
For the Democratic Party to find its footing again, it must pick a champion who can resonate with its base and change the voting inclination of Trump-swayed electorates. Only then can it hope to reclaim its former glory and favorability. Placing bets on Harris, given current circumstances, may not be the way forward.
In conclusion, if the Democrats are hoping to make a difference and revert back to the winning ways of yesteryears, the path through Kamala Harris, given her history and current standing, appears both dangerous and unfortunate. A nod in her direction could prove detrimental for a party already wrestling with discontent and disapproval.
The post Kamala Harris’s Bid for Presidency: A Ticket to Even More Unpopularity appeared first on Real News Now.
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