Kamala Harris is Losing for a Number of Reasons, and None More Problematic than The Fact That She is a Bad Candidate.
Back in July of this year the “Riden with Biden” coalition finally collapsed, and I will admit that I watched it with great delight. Sweet Justice had finally come to crooked Joe. The plagiarizer and predator from the little liberal state of Delaware- if you blink you will miss it. But I have to hand it to media and Democrats; they propped up the senile Biden for years. The mainstream media dutifully and heroically rallied behind their fellow Democrat. They reported no sign of decline, even after the Hur report which found among other things that the “forgetful” Biden didn’t remember the years he served as Vice President. But finally, it was obvious that he was going to lose to Trump. So, then the media decided to change the tune. Joe Biden was now “too old” for the job.
It started in late June and into July when Democrats and the media realized that they couldn’t cover for Joe Biden any longer, and out of necessity they turned to his Vice President Kamala Harris. Reminds me of the expression, “Any old port in a storm”. Indeed, they believed that they had no other choice. For one thing Biden built up a great campaign war chest and only Kamala could have access to it. I must say what a career Kamala has had. She is the product of years of social promotion. She is a living, breathing participation trophy. Why is she even Vice President, why did Joe pick her? Did she accomplish anything in her one term in the senate? Something to make her Presidential material? No, she is a black (or Indian woman depending on the audience) woman, and the DEI ideology favored her. So, to remove her in July would have been impossible.
And in this great month of tumult, I remember watching Mark Halperin’s podcast “2WAY”, a political chat show where he brings on Democrat and Republican consultants to discuss politics. It is excellent podcast, and for several days they discussed the Democrats dilemma, that it is how to force Joe out and could Harris win. On that show was MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, a long-time sufferer of Trump derangement syndrome, actually he has one of the worst forms of that particular mental disorder that I have ever seen. Nevertheless, Scarborough made a great point. While he was generally optimistic (perhaps just whistling dixie) Harris could win, he admitted that he didn’t know if she’d be a good candidate. Scarborough likened it to a top minor league prospect. You never know how that person will do once they face a hundred-mile fastball. Yes, and to follow the analogy Democrat Leaders turned to Harris, who would be like a bad minor league prospect, not a good prospect but imagine Baseball infected with DEI.
Now, I think we knew enough about Harris to know that she wouldn’t be a good candidate, but Scarborough’s point is valid. Until the campaign starts you don’t know the candidate’s true potential. Well, now everyone knows what a bad candidate she is. She got a little honeymoon around her nominating convention or shall we call it a coronation. And at one point she had a national lead of I think 2.4 percent in the real clear politics average, now it is down to .09 percent and falling. She was running on “Joy” and “Good Vibes”. And that works for a while, but then voters start to think about facts. Like the fact that since Trump left office, they are paying a lot more for food, groceries and housing. What is she going to do about it. Well, who knows. She like her boss doesn’t unusually take questions. In tough times people want answers. She can’t give them.
Since Harris was handed the nomination in August, it has been a disaster. First, she picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. He does nothing for her, he doesn’t add a state to her column, he doesn’t bring in, as far as I can tell a group of voters. He looks and sounds like Elmer Fudd. He is the embodiment of a woke white middle-aged man, the type of man that no other man respects. His proudest accomplishment is putting tampons in the boy’s room at school, how sensitive to the trans community. He is not good in interviews, and JD Vance smoked him in the one Vice Presidential debate. He has a sketchy past about his ties to China and his resume.
Perhaps it’s because she didn’t begin the year running for President, but Harris has no campaign theme, no message or rationale. She was trying to run on “Joy”, but question remain about her positions, her flips flops, her record as Vice President. What did she do as the border tzarina? Of course, she has avoided taking real questions from a reporter that covers the Capital, and instead she has gone on with Howard Stern, “Call Her Daddy” podcast, and “The View”. She is clearly not prepared for these interviews. Even with softball question she fouls out. On the View she was asked how she would be different than Biden. Clearly for this she would have a ready answer. No. She seemed surprised by the question; said she could not think of anything that she would do differently. and as if that weren’t bad enough, she then admitted that she was involved in all major decisions. She created a perfect sound bite for the Trump campaign.
She decided to step into the lion’s den and do an interview on Fox with Bret Baier. Why? What could she gain from that? She had to have known that she was going to face tougher questions than she ever has before. Does she have so much confidence in herself to take such a risk and is that risk worth it? Sure, some Democrats and independents watch, but again she doesn’t have the ability to spar with Baier. He asked her how many migrants did the Biden Harris administration let into the country. She didn’t answer. She was asked when she started to notice Biden’s mental decline, remember she said she met with him at least once a week, she didn’t answer. How could that interview help her chances of winning voters? Sure, maybe she thought she Sure, maybe she thought she would reach persuadable voters on Fox news but how do you win them over by not answering questions?
She decided to skip the Al Smith Dinner. A great Presidential tradition, which raises money for Catholic Charities in New York. The last Democrat Presidential candidate to skip it was Walter Mondale. He then went on to lose 49 states. He only won MN, his and Tim Walz home state. Why did she skip it? Was it out of fear of offending the LGBT plus community. Maybe, but so what are they going to vote for Trump? Anyway, what does skipping the Al Smith dinner say to Catholics. A bad look and making it even worse she sent a video of herself. Nothing says disrespect like blowing off an event but but sending a video of yourself instead. I won’t make it in person but play this tape of me.
Harris has this idea that she can siphon off some Republican votes. Sure, that might be possible and could help her. How does she appeal to them? Through a policy proposal for example. That might help. No, she is touting the endorsement of Dick Cheney and his daughter, a former Republican member of Congress. Harris is even campaigning with Liz Cheney. Liz Cheney and her dad are two of the least popular people to Republicans. In fact, the failing Bush Cheney administration, regarding immigration, spending Harris has this idea that she can siphon off some Republican votes. Sure, that might be possible and could help her. How does she appeal to them? Through a policy proposal for example. That might help. No, she is touting the endorsement of Dick Cheney and his daughter, a former Republican member of Congress. Harris is even campaigning with Liz Cheney. Liz Cheney and her dad are two of the least popular people to Republicans. In fact, the failing Bush Cheney administration, regarding immigration, spending and foreign policy, are the main reasons that Donald Trump won the GOP nomination in 2016. Bush Cheney and that whole gang are the reason Trump is so loved by Republicans.
It’s not just the press she has troubles with. At a rally in Wisconsin a pro Hamas student heckled her claiming that the Israeli government was committing genocide in Gaza. This is an unsubstantiated charge. She told him she was speaking and he eventually left. After he left, she told the crowd that the heckler made some good points. Was she agreeing that Israel, our ally is committing genocide. It is a horrible lie. Her campaign had to do damage control and try to explain what she meant by “What he’s talking about, it’s real’.”
Compare that with Trump’s retail political skills. Trump, initially I think just in an effort to troll Harris went to a McDonald’s to work. It turned out to be one of the great photo ops of all time. He worked the fry section and then drive thru. On camera some of the exchanges with customers were beautiful. The photo op humanizes Trump, indeed makes him appear to be the common man. One patron said, thank you for helping us “ordinary people”, Trump responded, “You are not ordinary, I can tell.”
Had Joe dropped out last year, and there was a fair nomination process, I think it is safe to say Harris today wouldn’t be on the verge of losing the White House for Democrats.
David Shephard is the author of two books. Elections Have Consequences, A Cautionary Tale.
Norton’s Choice: An Inside Politics Exposé: Shephard, David: 9781892538802: Amazon.com: Books
