William Henry Harrison, ninth U.S. president, impressively stands as the last leader born under British reign and was the pioneering member of the Whig party to take presidential office. Despite delivering a record-setting inaugural address of two hours, his presidency was notoriously short-lived. His term barely lasted 31 days, making him the first U.S. president to perish while in office.
Harrison shines brightly in history as the last politician to experience defeat in his initial presidential bid, only to emerge victorious in the subsequent election. His ambitious peers Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson achieved this feat before him, while Richard Nixon had to wait much later to taste success. Notably, only Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump managed to win after a loss, and then come back victoriously.
Post-Harrison’s era, candidates failing in their first presidential battle phased out of the winning scenario in their second attempt. Illustratively, Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson and Republican contender Thomas Dewey experienced political defeat twice in succession. Similarly, Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan came up short thrice, consecutively. Conversely unflattering for multiple-time losers, the populace doesn’t appear to favor repetitively failed candidates.
This harsh political reality appears to corner Kamala Harris, who recently confirmed she wouldn’t run for California’s gubernatorial position. Instead, this sparked conversations about her potential second run for the presidency. However, given the Democratic party’s dismal popularity, platforming another bid could make for a rocky ride.
The Democratic party’s diminishing popularity paints a grim picture, with a net favorability plunging into negative thirty points. This downturn is almost thrice the figure of GOP’s negative eleven points. Worryingly, the party’s popularity hasn’t plummeted this low in three and a half decades.
Broad political dissatisfaction festers within the Democratic party. Democrats bear the brunt of blame both for their loss to Trump and for the current failure to effectively challenge his incumbency. This scenario sadly isn’t all down to Harris, as internal party discontent is multi-dimensional.
Moreover, Harris’ political journey shines a light on the party’s growing dissatisfaction. Progressive Democrats express disappointment with the party’s lackluster fight, while centrists argue that the focus on culture wars and identity politics has veered too far left. United beneath these factions, however, is an overwhelming yearning to secure a win.
Ironically, part of Harris’ initial appeal lay in her diversity. Biden had ceremoniously declared his running mate would be a woman, later adding she would also be African American. Thus, Harris’ issue isn’t her gender or race, but rather her failure to resonate with voters enough to broaden the Democratic base.
Despite wide belief that most Democrats shunned her due to insufficient turnout, Harris’ real failing seems to be her inability to appeal to the evolving voter base. Her political oratory seemed more fitting for a dean of students at a liberal arts college rather than capturing the national stage.
Beyond the topic of reproductive rights, her political views came across as canned responses whipped up by focus groups. This manufactured persona couldn’t have struck voters at a worse time, as they longed for genuine representation. Additionally, her compliance to align with Biden rather than carve out her individual stands was an unfavorable move.
Significantly, her decision to have her first post-office interview on ‘The Late Show’ with Stephen Colbert points to a dire misunderstanding of her target audience. Colbert’s viewership largely caters to a committed ideological audience, which symbolizes a minimal fraction of the voters Democrats need to court in order to secure a win.
Should Democrats opt to nominate her again, Harris might end up as an intriguing trivia answer rather than a significant figure in U.S. presidential history. Lamentably, it’s highly improbable that the trivia question would be, ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’
Hence, continual missteps feel indicative of Harris’ political future. If she becomes a Democratic nominee once more, the odds remain stacked against her. One can’t help but sense that her political career mirrors some of the bleakest chapters in Democratic party history.
Party discontent and dismal demographics against her, Harris’ road to the White House seems increasingly steep. Given her previous campaign’s shortcomings and the party’s ongoing strife, a successful political rebound seems less likely.
While many felt her diversity could be a unifying factor for the party, her real issues lie in a failure to extend meaningful appeal. As a result, her place in history may be overshadowed by a multitude of political miscalculations.
In sum, Harris’ political future is painted with broad strokes of uncertainty. The political landscape that defeated her once remains largely unchanged, suggesting that another run may yield the same result. A tale of repeating the same actions and expecting different results often spells a fable of folly.
The post Kamala Harris’s Second Presidential Run: Another Democratic Folly? appeared first on Real News Now.
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