William Henry Harrison, America’s ninth president, stands as the final Presidential office holder born under British dominion and the maiden bearer of the Whig Party’s mantle into the White House. He holds the peculiar honour of providing the lengthiest inauguration speech on record; a monologue that lasted nearly two hours. All the more intriguingly, his tenure stands out as the briefest – he passed away just 31 days into his term. This made him the first incumbent president to perish in office.
Among political aspirants, Harrison represents a rare breed of individuals who lost their first bid for presidency and succeeded on the subsequent attempt. This is a feat that was previously accomplished by the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Much later, Richard Nixon underwent a similar ordeal, albeit, his victory emerged from much further down the line. (Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump are set aside in their own unique category, having won, lost and retrieved victory again.) Following Harrison’s time, every politician who stumbled at the first hurdle and made a second bid in the immediate next election, fell once more.
This historical pattern isn’t particularly promising for Kamala Harris. Harris, recently made it known to the public that she would not enter the race for the governor of California. This decision has blown open the doors of speculation that she harbours ambitions for another tilt at the presidency. The likelihood of her success seems stark, considering the present state of the Democratic Party.
Low tide has hit the Democratic Party which is grappling with an impressive level of unpopularity. This is underlined by its net favorability score sitting at a concerning minus 30 points, a figure nearly threefold higher than the GOP’s minus 11. The startling unpopularity of the Democratic Party is nearly unparalleled, as it hasn’t been this low in the previous 35 years.
The lack of support for the party isn’t solely due to external factors, but also emerges from the rank and file of its own members. Unresolved issues related to losing the election to Trump, coupled with their inability to form a significant opposition to him since he took office, has stirred dissatisfaction among them. The results reflect poorly on their legitimacy, and for this, Kamala Harris cannot shoulder all the blame.
Escalating discomfort with the party’s progress presents a paradox for Harris. She currently embodies the widespread dissatisfaction seething within the democrat ranks. This unrest isn’t universally the same. The more progressive members voice their objections based on their perception that the democrats aren’t battling ardently enough. However, the more moderate sect argues that the party is fighting for all the wrong causes, as they have sidled too far left, swaying into the territory of culture war and identity politics.
The sole sentiment uniting both factions amidst their differences is a deep-seated craving for victory. Ironically, the primary condition that made Harris a potential nominee for the 2024 race was because she was likely selected due to her demographics. Biden’s decision to select a diverse candidate was explicit; he stated that he would choose a female, and later, an African American running mate.
Hence Harris’ issue isn’t related to race or gender; it’s more about her inability to resonate with the voters in a way that grows the Democratic party. To emerge victorious, Democrats require a representative who can convert Trump supporters. The reason for her prior failure wasn’t low turnout from Democrats, but rather her inability to impress an evolving electorate.
Harris’ rhetoric suggests she is more suited for a dean’s position at a modest-sized liberal arts college rather than a political leader. Apart from the topic of reproductive rights, her beliefs appear as though they were not derived from her own thoughts, but fabricated by focus groups. This came about in a period when voters were searching for authenticity. Adding salt to the wound, Harris surrendered to Joe Biden’s demands that she not seek distance from him.
Harris’ decision for her first post-office interview being granted to Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’ was revealing. This may have won her brownie points with Colbert’s dedicated fanbase, who are ideologically inclined. Yet, these aren’t necessarily the voters Democrats need to ensure a win.
Hence, if Democrats choose to run with her again as their candidate, history might find her in the faded pages of a trivia question. And, certainly, it won’t be, ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’ This reiterates the absurdity of the Democrats’ game plan and their lack of understanding of what the electorate really wants.
Democrats need to wake up and realize that appeasing to fringe groups and zealots on late-night shows won’t win them the swing votes they need. The reality remains that the Democratic Party’s strategic blunders and wild unpopularity have placed them in precarious waters.
While the party seems to enjoy its journey down self-destruction, it’s high time they took a hard look at their strategies. Perhaps it’s time to shift from focus groups fabricating beliefs, to addressing the real issues. And definitely, it’s time to find a representative who actually appeals to the majority, rather than sticking to symbolic diversity picks.
Despite the bleak prospects for the Democratic Party and potential candidates like Kamala Harris, there are invaluable lessons to be learned. If they do not want to be destined to a trivia question in history, they must embrace authenticity, focus on the electorate’s needs, and fight the right battles – not culture wars. Only then can true change and a hopeful future be envisioned.
The post Democrats’ Unpopularity Indicates Rocky Road Ahead for Harris appeared first on Real News Now.
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