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Michael Dukakis showing up in a tank. George H. W. Bush checking his watch during a debate. John Kerry saying he was for the $87 billion for Iraq before he was against it. Mitt Romney writing off the 47 percent of voters who receive government benefits. Hillary Clinton lambasting the deplorables.
Such moments bring clarity. They define the candidates, lay out the stakes, and change the story.
Now, Kamala Harris has added another to the list. During her appearance on The View this past Tuesday, a friendly host asked if there was anything she would do differently than President Biden. Harris hesitated, as if she hadn’t anticipated or understood the question. That much was typical. But her answer was not: “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” she said.
Oof. Harris didn’t just take ownership of the Biden record; she displayed a startling lack of independence. Nothing comes to mind? Not inflation strangling the economy? Not the millions of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border? Not the feelings of social disorder in cities and on campuses? Not the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, or the handling of Ukraine, or the regional war in the Middle East?
Harris says no. She’s proud of the administration. She stands by Biden. “I’ve been part of most of the decisions that have had impact,” she added. And what impact: a president with 41 percent job approval and a nation where just 22 percent of people are satisfied with its direction.
Thus Harris’s dilemma: She’s the incumbent vice president of an unpopular administration, running to chart “a new way forward” without offering anything fresh. Even the most talented political gymnast would have trouble pulling that off, and Harris stumbled at the outset.
Her loyalty to Biden is perplexing. What’s stopping her from going her own way? It wouldn’t divide the party, alienate swing voters, or hurt fundraising—her campaign has raised a billion dollars. These are the final weeks before Election Day. Harris is free to be herself.
Maybe that’s the issue. Harris doesn’t just show loyalty when defending Biden; she reveals an intellectual void. There are no substantive rebuttals on inflation, the border, or the Middle East. Her proposals rehash White House initiatives on taxes, housing, and small business. Remember, she went on The View to announce a new home health-care entitlement—and no one noticed.
Any differences with Biden are cosmetic. Harris often points out that they are not the same person. Well, I’m not Brad Pitt. The issue isn’t who you are, but how you act and what you believe. Later on The View, she mentioned she’d nominate a Republican to her cabinet—another superficial answer. Cabinet secretaries have limited authority. What Republican is she thinking of? To what end? Jeff Flake at Commerce is one thing. Liz Cheney as secretary of defense—now that would be interesting. But more likely, Harris would appoint a token Republican to an unimportant office, adding a bipartisan façade to a progressive administration.
Ironically, the more Harris aligns with Biden, the weaker her candidacy becomes. Her momentum has stalled. Polls show Donald Trump gaining ground in key regions. Voters trust Trump on the economy. They don’t know enough about Harris to embrace her, and they see her as too liberal. Clinging to Biden won’t change that.
Nor has Biden returned the favor. He’s not exactly helping Harris’s cause. He flaunts his connection with his VP, toying with her prospects as he passes his days in the White House. Instead of promoting her agenda, he boasts of how she’s with him. Rather than take another long vacation, he’s become more active in the campaign. And rather than join her in a feud with Florida’s governor, he’s been in regular contact with Ron DeSantis, complimenting Florida’s emergency response.
Democrats are worried. In an election this tight, every moment counts. Yet Harris’s rollout, convention, debate performance, massive resources, and positive press haven’t given her a decisive edge. It may be Harris’s race to lose, but right now, she’s losing it.
