William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president, was the final commander-in chief perceived as a British subject and triumphed as the inaugural member of the Whig Party within the Oval Office. His inaugural address stretched out for a record-breaking two hours, and paradoxically, his presidency was arguably the shortest: a mere 31 days. He stands as the last political player to initially lose a presidential election yet emerge victorious in the subsequent one. Such precedent existed with Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, while Richard Nixon had to wait longer for his chance. Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump stand distinctively as the two commanders who won, lost and then clinched the victory again. Most politicians who fall short on their initial election attempt and dare to try their luck in the immediate next election cycle typically meet defeat. This should serve as a discouraging fact for Kamala Harris, who recently declared she won’t be running for the governor role in California, triggering speculation of her intent for another presidential run.
The challenge surmounting Democrats comes from their plunging appeal, with their net popularity (at -30 points) nearly triple that of their rivals, the GOP’s -11 points. Their profile is worse off than any point during the past three-and-half decades, primarily because of their interparty discord. The Democrats are reeling under internal dissatisfaction due to their loss to Trump and their subsequent ineffective strategies to curtail his actions now that he’s in office. Indeed, it’s not all about Harris alone, yet she epitomizes the ongoing disarray within the Democratic party.
The disunity within the party is complex and multifaceted. On one side, progressive Democrats believe their representatives are not fighting fiercely enough for their values. On the other hand, some moderate-leaning Democrats feel that the party has veered too far to the left, particularly regarding identity politics and cultural issues. However, one common thread binds these two poles: a burning desire to rack up victories. Almost the only reason why Harris was in a position to potentially be a nominee in the 2024 election was the call for diversity within the party ranks.
Biden was clear in his determination to select an African American woman as his running mate. The hurdle for Harris, then, is not her gender or ethnicity, but her conspicuous inability to connect with the voters, thereby failing to expand the Democratic alliance. To clinich a victory, the Democrats require someone who can sway the Trump supporters to their side.
Harris’s downfall wasn’t due to a lack of turnout from Democratic supporters but rather her failing to connect and inspire a diverse electorate. Her liberal academia-tinged rhetoric sounded artificial and focus-group driven at a time when voters yearned for authenticity. Moreover, Harris inadvertently marred her image by complying with Biden’s diktat to maintain a close proximity with him.
A telling insight into her tactics was her decision to appear on ‘The Late Show’ with Stephen Colbert for her first interview after leaving office. While this may have played well with Colbert’s fervent ideological fans, it’s not the crowd the Democrats need to win over to regain traction. Therefore, if Democrats choose to stand behind Harris once again, she may forever be relegated to the ranks of trivia question answers, but certainly not as the 48th U.S. President.
The post Kamala Harris Laughs Off Presidential Aspirations Amid Sinking Popularity appeared first on Real News Now.
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