Once an obedient British subject, William Henry Harrison later rose to prominence as the ninth president of the United States. Known for his exhaustive inaugural speech and his blink-and-you-miss-it presidency. Harrison’s tenure ended after just 31 days, marking the briefest stay at the White House ever. He remains the last individual to recover from an initial presidential election loss to claim victory in subsequent elections, a feat unmatched since his era.
A look down memory lane reveals that Richard Nixon also tasted defeat before finally exulting in victory, albeit following a more extended timeline. However, Harrison’s example has proved more exception than rule, with Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump being the only two to taste both victory and defeat before reclaiming a presidential win.
For those contemplating a second run at the presidency, history’s lessons may be harsh. Kamala Harris, who recently announced that she won’t be vying for the governorship in California, might be dreaming of another shot at the Oval Office. Still, her political forerunners’ record could pour cold water on such ambitions.
From a popularity perspective, the Democratic Party that Harris belongs to isn’t on the voters’ good side. The party’s net favorability is scraping rock bottom, with a dismal minus 30 points, almost tripling the GOP’s unfavorable rating. Not since the last 35 years has the party been seen with such jaded eyes.
The frustrated Democrats, falling victim to their party’s failures and Trump’s victory, find it hard not to remember their lost opportunities. However, it’s not solely Harris’ cross to bear. She, in essence, embodies the pervasive disillusionment plaguing the Democratic Party.
The epicenter of this disgruntlement is not one dimensional, rather it pulsates throughout the party’s structure. Members of the progressive wing argue that the Democrats’ struggle is half-hearted while moderates bemoan the party’s chaotic infatuation with controversial cultural and identity politics.
Unifying these disgruntled factions is a shared craving for victory. Harris only catapulted into the 2024 nominee conversation because her selection ticked off diversity boxes. Biden made no secret of his preference for a female and eventually, an African American running mate.
But it’s not Harris’ race or gender that forms her Achilles’ heel. Instead, her real challenge lies in her inability to resonate with voters and widening the Democrats’ narrow coalition. The Democrats need a charismatic chameleon who can appeal to Trump constituents to tip the scale in their favor.
Despite relying on a largely democratic populace, Harris failed to deliver, proving to be a rather uninteresting candidate in the eyes of the evolving voter demographic. Her discourse was reminiscent of a liberal arts college panel discussion, replacing earnest conviction with disingenuous focus-grouped rhetoric.
Worse still, Harris bowed down to Biden’s demand of implicit support, depriving herself of any chance to present a distinct political identity. Her decision to use ‘The Late Show’ with Stephen Colbert as her post-office departure platform was a critical misstep, playing into Colbert’s ideologically rigid audience.
This audience is far detached from the body of voters the Democrats need to sway. If Democrats place another bet on Harris, she might just end up as a trivia question on a forgotten page of history. Put simply, it’s unlikely she’ll be making presidential history.
While the Democratic Party is currently sinking in voters’ esteem, much has been chalked up to their failure to curb Trump’s advances. The regret and anger most democrats feel towards their party cannot be overlooked.
The onus now lies with the Democrats to rally their fractured lines around a shared determination to reclaim victory. Unless they can present a candidate who possesses the ability to win over previously solid GOP voters, the odds will continue to stack against them.
Harris’ dream of returning to the presidential race may remain just that, a dream, given her lackluster appeal to a dynamic electorate and the Democratic Party’s internal strife. Her rhetoric fails to capture the heart of issues and appears staged rather than authentic.
In the end, if the Democrats choose to reinstate Harris as their nominee, she may only end up as a bit of trivia rather than the 48th president of the United States. Her first step post-resignation, aligning herself with a segment of the voters unlikely to confer her the much-needed victory, shows a lack of strategic insight, rendering her dreams of the White House distant.
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