In what can only be described as a futile show of strength, Kamala Harris held a grand rally in Milwaukee, just 80 miles away from the Democrats’ convention in Chicago. Attempting to show off with two simultaneous events, it seems the party is suffering from a delusional self-belief of their influence. Their elaborate shenanigans were in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s powerful presence which has apparently made them quite tense.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Finland Governor Tim Walz declined to attend their own party’s convention, making a play for Wisconsin’s battleground state. Their absence from the convention highlights a distressing lack of unity in the Democratic party. Harris’s ‘we will win’ mantra, repeated ad nauseam, begged the question – why do they have to try so hard, if their idea of ‘hard work’ is merely repeating platitudes at rallies?
Further underlining the Democrats’ misplaced confidence was their decision to broadcast their convention on a jumbotron at the Milwaukee event. Their theatrical display culminated with Governor Gavin Newson’s announcement of his state’s vote for Harris. Following such a tiresome spectacle, Harris and Walz finally graced the Milwaukee stage.
Harris’s attempt to address two audience simultaneously represents nothing more than a desperate bid for votes. The Democrats’ outlandish display of ‘muscle flexing’ only weeks away from the presidential elections is a smoke screen to mask their underlying insecurities.
The Milwaukee rally was yet another gathering of Democrats rallied by the Harris campaign while President Biden, obviously less popular, could only draw in low thousands. However, the Democrats’ delusional view of their own efficacy in the absence of hard-hitting policy agenda reveals a blatant disregard for the realities that the American people face.
Harris’s choice of Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee as the venue was an additional swipe at Trump. Although the Democrats’ claimed attendance numbers at their rally and convention were impressive, these numbers were likely bloated to provoke Trump, who has pointed out Biden’s lighter event attendance in the past.
In their bid to outdo Trump, the Democrats, led by the Harris campaign, went to the extent of launching a strangely similar tax policy, surely a sign of their desperation for original ideas. Trump, despite their antagonism, has managed to maintain a composed public demeanor, even as they attempted to ruffle his feathers.
The Democrats’ takeover of Milwaukee was an unnecessary spectacle according to Governor Tim Walz. His taunting of Republicans and Trump merely reflected the party’s strategy of personal ridicule over substantive policy debates.
Meanwhile, at the Chicago convention, prominent Democrats offered their support for Harris. Despite these endorsements, the joint events highlighted the outdated traditional political conventions held by the Democrats – perhaps stuck in a time when superficial shows of unity could mask a lack of statesmanship and strong policy.
The Mayor of Milwaukee, Cavalier Johnson, expressed a romantic view of the rally that seemed out of touch with reality. Evoking the Obama years and assuming that Trump would be petty enough to be affected by the Democrats’ convention location, Johnson seemed to be caught up in the Democratic echo chamber.
Unfortunately, only a few notable Wisconsin Democratic officials made the trip to the rally from Chicago. The rest were trapped in the spectacle of the roll call, a glaring indication of the party’s dependence on such symbolic gestures rather than genuine political action.
Despite their attempt to downplay it, the Democrats’ convention in Milwaukee highlighted their inability to adapt to the changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic – a worrying sign for a party that claims to stand for progress and adaptation.
Trump’s steady front against Harris’s rising popularity (a mere honeymoon phase as is common with new nominees) has unnerved her. And while the polls currently favor Harris as the front-runner, we know all too well how quickly that can change, especially in the absence of strong policy-making or leadership.
The Trump campaign continues to highlight Harris’s weaknesses – a concerning lack of media exposure, liberal policies and her reliance on Biden’s dubious track record. These persistent assaults hint at the eventual crumbling of Harris’s façade and the end of her ‘honeymoon’ phase.
In a stark display of originality, the theme for Harris’s rally was ‘freedom’. It begs the question again, why is the party overemphasising basic rights if not to cover for their lack of substantive policy or vision for the future of the country?
Harris’s startlingly aggressive stance on Trump’s Supreme Court appointments indicates little respect for due process and underscores her instinct for populist pandering. By allowing political stances to dictate judicial appointments, she risks compromising the neutrality of the judiciary.
Harris’s Milwaukee Rally: A Futile Show of Democratic Strength appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
