Let's Talk About Harris

Will This Relief Pitcher Make All the Difference?

Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash

It’s been a wild month, right?

First, we watched that disastrous Biden-Trump debate on June 28th. Then a crazy 20-year old kid tried to kill Trump at a rally on July 13th. Iconic photojournalism captured that moment when the bullet pierced his ear and as Trump pumped his fist to the crowd. At that moment, his presidency seemed inevitable. Just a few days later, we had the circus that was the Republican National Convention, and Trump picked Vance as his Vice-President.

While all that was going on, there was growing pressure on Biden to drop out. Key political leaders showed up on morning news shows hinting that it was time to bow out. There were reports about private meetings with Biden and then a bout with Covid. Finally, on June 21st, Biden dropped out.

But the drama isn’t over yet! Now, we’re getting the roll out of the Harris campaign. This is SO MUCH FUN! Let’s chat about Harris.

Bringing in Harris as the relief pitcher totally switched up the election. She’s riding a huge wave of relief and enthusiasm. Will the good will last for another three months? Or will she have to battle to keep on top? You’re Harris’s campaign advisor. What would you tell her?

Will the Real Kamala Please Stand Up?

Who is Harris? Did the past four years in a Biden White House shape her in into a moderate, nation-wide candidate? I think so. In the first campaign rally, she embraced her cop-prosecutor background in part because she wants to frame this election as a “cop versus felon” election. I also think that’s her true identity.

The 2020 election was the era of peak DEI and BLM, so Harris distanced herself from her background in law enforcement. But that’s her people. She is comfortable shit-talking at the dive bar next to the court house with the court lawyers and local administrators. She’s buying the next round.

As Vice President, she got out of California, travelled the country, and met people. She pretty much avoided negative headlines for four years. Sure, she completely dodged the problem at the border, but it’s not like a Vice President has any power to change things there. It was a huge loser of a position, and her only job was to avoid becoming the face of that disaster.

DEI Fatigue

I’m happy to vote for Harris, because she seems smart enough and isn’t Trump. I’m not voting for her because she’s a mixed race woman. (Although in an alternative timeline, I would have loved a Harris v. Haley debate.) I expect a certain amount of identity politics in this race, because Democrats have to energize their base, but that can’t be the only story. Too much identity politics will cause to Harris to lose support from everyone else. People are tired of DEI.

Minority women don’t even seem to like DEI. Yesterday, Susan Rice was on CNN angrily renouncing claims that Harris is a DEI-Candidate. She said that being a DEI candidate was a huge slur to women and minorities who worked their asses for their positions. Absolutely. If people like Rice are distancing themselves from DEI, I can’t imagine that it will last too much longer.

It’s a historic moment that Harris is the first mixed race woman to run for president. And that’s awesome. But people want more. I think Harris can bring “the more,” once her staff has time to pull together their campaign.

Enthusiasm is Everything

Can Harris beat Trump? The huge boost from Harris’s entry into the race isn’t going to turn a Trump voter into a Democratic voter. But it might encourage more Democrats to vote in November, turn some Independent voters, and depress the Republican vote.

Might. That’s a key word.

Ignore all those enthusiastic articles about the youth vote. Young people don’t vote in numbers to make any difference in any election. Sorry, but that’s facts. The real impact could happen with my demographic - white women in the suburbs. So, what am I hearing?

There’s definitely enthusiasm, but it’s guarded. People want to hear more about specific policies and issues, like Israel, Ukraine, education, and the economy. My friends want to see their kids getting jobs and not barred from opportunities because of their race and gender. Don’t forget that 3/4 of these women are the moms of white men. If they feel marginalized, they won’t vote for Harris.

Poor Biden

Let’s take a moment to feel bad for Biden, who was given the heave-ho in a public, humiliating way. This was the right move, but it must hurt.