When the Biden campaign picked Kamala Harris to run with an aging candidate, the idea was gender, skin color, age, prosecutorial past, and energy would raise interest in – and support for – the Democrat ticket. Looks like something may be … going wrong.
Ordinarily, a vice presidential candidate is high visibility, confidence-building, a hard-hitting surrogate for the leading light. Putting aside Biden’s dim beam, something is happening. Harris is nowhere to be seen. Have you noticed?
On the record, Harris is invisible. She showed up for just seven minutes in a “zoom” meeting last week focused on Minnesota, mentioning Trump could do more on COVID. See, e.g., https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/09/02/vp-nominee-harris-makes-virtual-minnesota-campaign-stop.
She got a story in the Guardian, complimenting her “sneakers,” as “a form of footwear finding their way into many women’s closets as part of a larger challenge to outmoded concepts of femininity.” Said the paper: “Traditionally, there is a standard shoe etiquette for women in political office – either alpha (see: Nancy Pelosi’s stilettos, Theresa May’s leopard print heels) or conservative (Elizabeth Warren’s slide sandals, Hillary Clinton’s pantsuit-matching kitten heels),” but Harris’ sneakers make her “a woman of action.” Hmmm, okay. See, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/sep/03/kamala-harris-what-her-sneakers-mean.
Last, Harris got a puff piece in the New York Times, tying her to the 1952 black activist Charlotta Bass, who was a vice-presidential candidate on the Progressive Party ticket. Hard to see how that helps, but there it is. See, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/obituaries/charlotta-bass-vice-president-overlooked.html.
The gaping hole in Harris coverage – causing journalists to rummage, rough it, and scramble – begs a bigger question. Why was she picked? If she is an asset, why not deploy her to win constituencies she is good with? Or was this Harris pick, after all, a misfire?
On the numbers, Harris may have been a complete error. She abruptly left the presidential field in 2019. At the time, analysts saw her as less popular with female, black, Hispanic, and Midwestern voters – than she had imagined herself to be. Those are critical constituencies.
Analysts mused “black voters never flocked to Kamala Harris,” due to “black voters’ relative lack of interest in black candidates.” Buttigieg’s campaign questioned her electability. See, https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/04/kamala-harris-black-voters-2020-075651. Could it be simpler? Trump delivered huge employment numbers, labor participation, income growth, job quality, and elevated living standards to all Americans, including blacks – no pandering.
Other analysts saw Harris as inexperienced, undefined, inconsistent, ideologically squirrely, risky, and malleable. On any given day, she was prosecutor, centrist, socialist, opportunist.
She was divisive within the black community. Her selection produced more confusion than light or unity. Citing Rasmussen, an analyst wrote: “Harris divides blacks: One-third diss pick, now ‘less likely’ to vote for Biden.” See, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/harris-divides-blacks-one-third-diss-pick-now-less-likely-to-vote-for-biden
Looking to 2019, Harris’ weakness should not come as a surprise. Democrats wondered who she was, what she stood for, how she would play. In a New York Magazine article entitled “Why is Kamala Harris Struggling with Black Voters So Much,” a Democrat colloquy offered foresight.
One participant said she fumbled South Carolina – but should have soared. Why? First, “history has already been made with Obama, so there’s less perceived need for African-Americans to unite behind a black candidate.” Second, Obama was ideologically consistent and leftist, while “Harris is … mostly known as a cleverly tactical pol.” Third, Harris causes “Electability Terror” in 2020. See, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/kamala-harris-black-voters.html.
That last bit is important. Perhaps the reason Harris is not visible is that she offends as many traditional Democrats as she attracts. In short, she is a wash, and as such a drag on the ticket.
Like the physics of noise cancellation, in which waves cancel other waves, she may amount to a political interference pattern. If her ambition, age, background, skin and gender help with some voters, they may disaffect, distract, and put off others – critical to Democrat chances of victory.
In a final attempt to understand why Harris is invisible, consider the Midwest. Swing states won by Trump include Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona. Clinton squeakers were New Hampshire, Minnesota, Maine, Nevada, and Colorado. To that add vital Ohio and Iowa. Where – in all those states – does California Harris help?
Look closer. Biden leads in some of these states, but Trump is also closing. Harris did poorly in most, and 15 candidates were standing when she quit. How does her name help? Trump’s 2016 wins in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan puts pressure on Biden-Harris to flip these states. Harris offers little value in any of them. See, e.g. https://www.newsweek.com/these-six-states-could-determine-2020-presidential-election-1490996#:~:text=According%20to%20Maslin%2C%20if%20their%20nominee%20takes%20the,the%20industrial%20Midwest%20states%3A%20Michigan%2C%20Pennsylvania%20and%20Wisconsin.
Example: Biden-Harris must win Pennsylvania, or else flip Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona. Harris does not help. September polls show Trump-Pence erased a 9-point Biden lead in Pennsylvania since July. See, e.g., https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-09-02/trump-erases-bidens-lead-in-pennsylvania-poll?ocid=uxbndlbing; https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/Wisconsin.html#!.
Similarly, in Wisconsin – which Trump won in 2016 and tips Biden – people are paying attention to Trump’s “law and order” message. Riots continue to run roughshod over communities in dozens of states. How does Harris’s “socialism-go” message help? She could revert to “prosecutor,” but who would believe her, and how would her left wing respond?
National polls hardly validate Democrats – or Harris. A national poll, Rasmussen, for the first time puts Trump-Pence ahead 52-48. Again, while Biden bears blame, what did Harris add?
What does all this mean? Just this: A fragile, 77-year-old gaff-master was more ahead before Harris. With her, the team is losing ground. You can bet divisions exist within the campaign. Harris does not want to be tagged with Biden’s loss. Biden has no future after this race.
If Harris was once the perfect pretender for virtually every-identity group, voters are growing sage. Riots and the rot of anti-Trump rhetoric are old. Americans are discerning, intentional, individual, and increasingly concerned. As Biden slips and sleeps, Harris may be backfiring.
That last paragraph describes Harris best: “The perfect pretender” backfires as the CaliMexico LOSER she always was!
Her whinny, nasal voice is like scratching a chalkboard. Its like she talks through her nose. Makes me cringe. Its twice as bad as Killary’s.
Yeah your right: Biden hides & Harris is invisible??
& they expect to Win?
How
Look at her CA State record as DA too.
Doesn’t the basis for her selection make it full of discriminatorial bias?
Kamala has absolutely no core beliefs. She blows in the wind year after year based on the “hot topic de jour”. She is an opportunistic phony and the more people see of her they will know that. What if Biden’s dementia gets worse and she becomes President? What a nightmare that would be‼️‼️?
The Obiden Harris team are a threat to the United States. Now more than ever, senior citizens need to unite and keep these two from winning the election. Trump 2020!
Harris or Whitmer were the two, by far, top choices by the GOP for Biden’s choices. Thank you Biden.
She is a mess. Nothing to offer. The whole Democrat thing is questionable. What are they up to? Nothing good for sure. Not for the people.
Just call Kamala Harris “Hillary Clinton, Jr.” Quite the joke!!
Socialists can’t run a city government, how can they run a national one? Maybe people are starting to see this..
Biden Harris are in the storefront window for all to see but not much to look at.
I agree with the article. harris was a lousy choice made purely to foster identity politics. She is pretty unlikely to be of benefit in any of the states that corrupt joe must win. In the real world, DJT should win reelection handily. Unfortunately, we’re living in bizzaro world where the dims will cheat, lie and steal wherever they can. They are already not only planning not to concede under any circumstance, but they are plotting a potential coup. That’s not hyperbole or tin hat stuff. It’s a fact.
Trump 2020!
Yes, she is.
Let’s see if Harris lasts more than 7 minutes with the Vice President during the debate!
What if anything will either of these nominees do for America/Americans? “NOTHING”
I can’t stand this woman! Way too radical for me.
Jane Mann – I believe many black Democrats have grown tired of being portrayed as too dumbed down as to obtain an ID for voting rights. The Democrats claim voter suppression in black communities if they are required to produce identification. A legal form of identification is required for practically everything in America ie, drivers license, state and federal benefits, social security, marriage license, bank accounts … the list goes on and on, and no one complains of “oppression”. Why? Is it because Democrats really believe too many blacks are unable to obtain an ID and are therefore oppressed? I don’t think so. Or is it so they can commit voter fraud without detection? Black people are not stupid and we all know it.
Just my take….. It doesn’t really matter at this point, I think that the general population is seeing the lack of concern by the Democrats for all the issues going on in their cities and all they can still do is try to blame President Trump for all of it. Hopefully people on the left are beginning to realize what the Democrats have done or not done for them in 50 plus years.
They have used them to get government funding to help them and not been responsible with the money to do anything other than line their own pockets. As far as Biden is concerned, he is a life long swamp rat with no major accomplishments to speak of during his time in office and Harris is an opportunist in every sense of the word. The Democrats and the majority of the Republicans don’t like Donald Trump because he is not a member of the “club”. He doesn’t owe anyone anything nor does he owe any lobbyists anything. He has done more for this country than any other President in current history. He’s not perfect , nobody is. Jesus is the only perfect one! President Trump is a New York Contractor who doesn’t back down, doesn’t take any BS and I believe truly loves America and its people for who we are and how far we have come. Enough of my rant!
KAG Trump-Pence 2020
Kamala Harris is a liberal socialist phony old bag from Willie Brown/s stable of garbage from California.. She hates the Blacks more than Biden and married a old white man just to prove her point//A real loser today and will get worse tomorrow//No use for this closet keeper//
Right now President Trump is the only Man who can save our country from going Socialist.we have been set up by people like SOROS. ,Clinton’s, Pelosi,to many to mention take over our schools,by loading them with far left teachers , to fill our kids with socialism ideas, and through the years are doing their best to erase our History.Thats why they are tearing down our Statues of our History. Please think about what you could be changing when you vote. Just now on the news another child was killed in Chicago. It makes me sick. And Trump is the only one who can change this. Please Vote Trump,God Bless You??????
Last paragraph: Americans are discerning, intentional, individual . . . Since when? Sorry, but that ship sailed long ago! With the exception of a relative few, especially among AMAC members, today’s average voter hasn’t a clue how much is at stake; goes around knocking Trump because everyone else goes around knocking trump (accomplishments don’t matter), does not crunch the numbers or learn the facts, but instead let’s fake news do it for them (so much easier to farm out such a trivial task to “reliable sources); and, lastly, cares more about what’s in it for themselves than what’s best for the Country, failing to see that what’s best for the Country is best for them. I’m sorry to be so cynical, but I’m sick & tired of conservative pundits telling me how intelligent the American voters are. No they’re not! They’re sheep waiting to be led to slaughter. I write this with apology to the truly intelligent, informed & patriotic voters, who are coming out of hiding! Let’s All Keep America Great ! ! !
My memory is not as sharp as it used to be. Isn’t Kamala Harris the candidate that got 2% of the democrat primary vote in California?? She whines and can be very snarky. Her main values may be that she is not white, stands to the left side of Bernie or AOC,and she is not chromosomally challenged. I want to see her face to face with VPOTUS,Pence. I don’t believe that her snark and whine will gain her any points. MAGA/KAG 2020
I agree with Mark P, her whinny voice and fake California Valley Girl drawl is distracting. And switching over to the Black preacher voice, still whinny, when speaking to certain audiences, is unattractive to say the least. Since when is sleeping your way to the top a good look for any woman, no matter what color she is? She’s just plain icky and no getting around it. Perfectly poor choice.
‘Harris’ sneakers make her “a woman of action.” ‘ No, she is just prepared to run from the angry hoards!
Harris is a hinderance to Biden and a complete loser for America. She is as liberal as they get in Congress, and that will only lead to more leftist policies for this country. She was picked by the Soros gang to serve in this country as she only speaks in sound-bites to the Marxist media. Just to know that she is a Democrat from California is enough. The baggage that she carries is enough to fill two moving vans.
Harris has slept her way up the political ladder. Her affair with Willie Brown in the 1990s, while he was still married was approved by her mother. That’s documented in Peter Schweitzer’s book “Profiles in Corruption”. Morality and ethics are not among her character traits.
Her shallowness should have exempted her from consideration for the second highest office in America but it didn’t. That tells me all I need to know about where the Democratic party stands these days. An empty shell of what they once were. Marxists in disguise. Perhaps that’s what they always were deep down.
TRUMP 2020
She’s like one of those angry lesbians on CNN…yelling all the time
Set your clocks for the VP debate on 10/7- that will really show her true fakeness in full bloom
Kamala Harris is an unabashed opportunist who will do anything it takes to further her personal ambitions. She has no principles except serving her own ambition. In other words, she’s a political hooker that has sold her soul to the far left.
“As Biden slips and sleeps, Harris may be backfiring.”
God willing…
Great word!
The ticket is horrible. Two do-nothings with no message. It’s a losing ticket for certain.
If by backfiring, you mean hurling, yes! Even the best hookers get full eventually!
The last time I remember seeing her after she was chosen as VP, she stated that the looting and burning of cities would continue and not stop anytime soon. Let’s see, do I want that? No, I’m sure I don’t.
She’s a non factor in this election. For the most part Trump and Pence have not responded to your attacks, which must be driving her and the Dems crazy. She was put on the ticket to be the attack dog, so far not working out so well! California is in bag so adding her to the ticket didn’t make much sense.
I would like all candidates to read Our Constitution of the USA and tell me their thoughts on each and every thing in it.I am having a problem with all of them.We the people have caused all our problems because we have not understood what INDEPENDENCE means.
Great Article. HOpe it’s got weight!
Wasn’t she the one who got into politics thanks to Brown?
Harris just like every democrat speaks from both sides of their mouth…….say whatever lie required to obtain power and ruin America!
Harris isn’t their end game. Denying election results to block a Trump win is.
She’s just a puppet for the globalist. They, the rich elite globalist, are the real threat to not only the United States, but to the entire world. We cannot let them win.
If all reasons listed in this article why Harris is a really bad choice weren’t enough, she really “stepped in it” when she
told sexual assaulter, general low life and violent arrest resister, Jacob Blake, that she was “proud” of him. You can’t
make this stuff up!!
The one thing about Kamala Harris is she’s a far Left radical. What I see on the far Left Social Media is the Left is ripe for radicalism. She’s a bully and the Progressives are bullies, so she fits their narratives. They love that she publicly threatens Conservatives like when she said after Trump gets beaten we’re next and she said ‘they’ are coming after us. So for all that this article claims that she is invisible, she’s worshipped by the Leftist ‘Whites’ everywhere. She also appeals to the terrorists on our city streets who we know will be voting in the upcoming election. The main problem we face is voter fraud and this should be the main focus now.
Harris “backfires”? Backfiring is associated with exhaust- hard to tell which orifice she’s backfiring from, as both are pretty much the same.
One hypocrite after another, and another, and another….. What a corrupt, worthless mob and even worse, the dumbed down so-called “American” sheeple who buy into this madness. Most couldn’t tie their own shoes or wipe themselves without the government telling the to do it and how, and then subsidizing it. Now the same useful idiots who voted this inhuman anti-America scum into power are moving to red states to escape the waste they created only to lay waste all over again with their same radical leftist ideology. Biden-Harris: an exercise in evil and treason.
Vote: TRUMP 2020!!
Biden and Harris are a Loser-on-Loser play. I expect they will be little more than minor footnotes in history books a few years from now.
Kamala is as phony as they come, she is all about her, will say and do anything to advance her career in politics!
What will Kamala Harris do for the American people??? Just another self-serving democrat; a bag of hot air!
The only reason Kamala Harris was chosen as Biden’s VP is so that she can become president when shortly after he takes office, he is deemed to be too fragile to continue as president. Then Kamala can sweep in with her radical leftist agenda & continue where Obama left off destroying America with the democrats socialist ideas.
The socialist/dems have known for years that TRUMP will be re-elected and hiden/harris are the sacrificial lambs because nobody else wants to be crushed and have that LOSER TAGGED on thier fat butts, these two have gone as far as they will ever get, AMERICANS are fed up with the hate and corruption and violence that seems to be the only things the dems can offer, REMOVE EVERY DEMONRAT AND SAVE AMERICA FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. VOTE TRUMP!!!! VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!!