Kamala Harris and Her Political Struggles
It seems like the team managed to pull off at least one thing right politically. But, overall, Kamala Harris’s approach looks more like a slow-motion train wreck.
The disastrous outcomes of her campaign are now part of history. It’s interesting to note that this presidential run was initially seen as a significant opportunity.
Harris should have been in a strong position within the Democratic Party. Coming off the post-Briden era, she had favorable approval ratings among Democrats. Many, including myself, may have even supported her for the 2024 election. However, excuses for her failures began to surface, largely pointing to Joe Biden’s unpopularity creating obstacles. It’s almost like President Trump’s rising influence only added fuel to the fire.
Unfortunately, Harris and her team have squandered these advantages. They’ve lacked a clear strategy or sense of direction, and it doesn’t seem like they have solid relationships with media figures or critics.
Her brief consideration of a run for governor of California really highlights her inconsistency. Seeking a major office isn’t like shopping for a used car; you either want it or you don’t. If she had truly wanted to establish herself in California, she wouldn’t have needed to take time to “think about” a candidacy—it’d be more of a proactive announcement from her.
What we actually saw was hesitance, making it look like she wasn’t prepping for any significant news. Now she’s not running for governor; she’s focusing on releasing a book about her campaign—not now, but at some later date. Her “media tour” seems rushed, and during an interview with Stephen Colbert, she stumbled quite a bit.
She had no coherent message and couldn’t even handle some basic questions well, which only served to raise the hopes of other Democrats. The fact that Colbert had to ask who currently leads the Democrats was almost disrespectful—shouldn’t it be her? Yet, her vague response just made everything worse. A seasoned politician would have redirected the conversation to establish herself as the leader.
There’s also the troubling sentiment that Trump hasn’t faced enough opposition. Does Harris realize she’s highlighting her own weaknesses? With Democrats disapproving of Biden at a staggering 93%, her own declarations are troubling.
The core issue for Harris mirrors what Joe Biden faced after that difficult debate in June 2024. It’s not about the present—it’s about the future. Biden’s lack of confidence during the campaign was evident in debates, public appearances, and speeches.
The same applies to Harris. With enough experience under her belt, she hasn’t shown any significant progress. She’s unprepared, faltering under pressure, and lacks original ideas. I mean, what on earth could change that? People who saw her in action as Vice President are probably nodding in agreement right now.
One critical, underreported story is about the team that suggested Pete Buttigieg as a possible successor to Harris during the 2022 midterms. He’s not just a vice president, but someone who could lead the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, Buttigieg has been fairly low-profile, much like Harris during that election period. It’s almost disappointing that he hasn’t really sparked more excitement.
But the real eye-opener came during Harris’s presidential bid, where it became glaringly clear that she wasn’t ready for the spotlight. She utterly failed on two crucial fronts as her nominations floundered.
First, she seemed like the least capable Democratic politician as a running mate. Tim Walz didn’t bring anything to the ticket—he didn’t even secure Minnesota, which was a tight race this time around. Harris could’ve chosen Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro instead.
Secondly, she failed to distance herself from Biden. During a summer rife with disapproval for the president, Harris had an opportunity to present herself as a fresh choice. But once again, she hesitated. This marked another chance she let slip away.
Harris isn’t a risk-taker. She seems to have angered parts of the Democratic base, including Biden and his allies, without truly standing for anything. She tries too hard to appease everyone, often at the cost of not saying anything of substance.
In a way, she really missed her moment. By not breaking away from Biden, she lost her shot at a 2024 win. While she’s busy contemplating her next move, other Democrats are charging ahead with their own plans. She doesn’t seem to pose any threat to anyone. Who knows, perhaps even those close to Biden are ready to push her out of the inner circle.
Biden’s team displays an impressive level of confidence; even amid a torrent of books that critique the White House staff, they don’t seem worried about Harris. Of course, she remained loyal during her interview with Colbert, a somewhat pathetic display.
The true measure of a politician’s worth is how they operate without the online spotlight. Kamala Harris is demonstrating that not only can she struggle to do her job without it, but she also hardly moves forward at all.
