William Henry Harrison, known for holding the position of Commander in Chief while still bearing allegiance to British sovereignty, boasted the status of being the inaugural president from the Whig Party. He delivered an inaugural speech that lasted an unparalleled two hours and had a presidency that lasted the shortest amount of time in history, only 31 days. Notably, he was the most recent politician to experience defeat in his initial bid for presidency, only to claim victory in the subsequent one. Past figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson had navigated similar routes, while Richard Nixon only tasted success several elections down the line. Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump remain unique in their record of winning, losing, and then returning to triumph. Post Harrison’s era, any hopeful who lost in their first run and attempted another run in the imminent election faced inevitable defeat.
The case of Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Thomas Dewey, both running and losing twice, reinforces this pattern. Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan found the same fate, despite persisting for three consecutive attempts. This recurrent phenomenon indicates a general disapproval of candidates who have had past failures. Kamala Harris, with her recent declaration of abstaining from the California governor’s race, initiated conversations about her possible future White House ambitions. This decision might not bode well for her, considering the current unfavorable reputation of the Democratic Party. Party popularity has taken a hit, with disapproval ratings reaching almost three times higher than their opponents.
The derogatory sentiment surrounding the Democratic Party marks a 35-year low in popularity. Most Democrats are still harboring frustrations about both their party’s loss to Trump and their lack of substantial resistance against him post his appointment as president. Harris, although not sole cause of this situation, has become an embodiment of the Democratic Party’s dissatisfaction. It’s imperative to note that these grievances aren’t consistent across all members. For more radical party members, the Democratic Party’s dedication to combating the opposition is insufficient.
On the other hand, the moderate wings of the party are agitated by the party’s prioritizing of the wrong causes and taking extreme left turns on culture wars and identity politics. Balancing these differing views within the party, exists one unanimous sentiment – the craving for victory. One of the few factors that positioned Harris as a potential future candidate was her selection as a diversity nominee by Biden. Biden’s criteria required his running mate to be a woman and, at a later stage, African American. Hence, Harris’ shortcomings aren’t rooted in her racial or gender identity, but in her inability to charm voters and add to the Democratic coalition.
For a Democratic candidate to secure victory, they need to sway Trump supporters. Harris’ downfall wasn’t a result of lackluster Democratic participation, but because she failed to captivate the shifting electorate. Her speeches were often perceived as dispassionate administrative speeches, similar to those offered by a dean at a diminutive liberal arts school. Besides the topic of reproductive rights, her convictions came off as carefully manufactured products of focus groups at a time when voter demand for authentic representation was soaring.
Adding to her already waning appeal, Harris chose to accept Joe Biden’s condition of not distancing herself from him. This choice of hers was clearly highlighted during her first media appearance after withdrawing from office, which was on Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’. This particular program appeals predominantly to a crowd with firm ideological leanings. Unfortunately, this crowd isn’t the one that Democrats need to win over to claim victory. This essentially becomes the crux of why another nomination for Kamala Harris would probably not alter her status as a mere trivia question. The question likely won’t be, ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’
The post Harris’ future White House ambitions in tatters due to Democratic Party’s decline appeared first on Real News Now.
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