Kamala Harris has put a spring in the Democrats’ step
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The passing of the Democratic Party torch from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention last week was put together in a hurry but, in fairness, it should have been the party’s “project” from day one of this political partnership, four years ago.
Biden has enjoyed a long and distinguished political career in the service of his country and party but, as in any other walk of life, and especially in the ruthless world of politics, there comes a point when giving way to those who represent the younger generation becomes necessary and inevitable.
This is especially true when the stakes are enormously high, and none are more so than the forthcoming US presidential election. To ensure his legacy and safeguard US democracy, Biden had only one option, considering the polls were consistently suggesting that his time was up.
The prevailing view in 2020 was that Biden’s incoming administration was aiming from the outset to plug a hole in terms of the damage that had been caused to American democracy and the nation’s international credibility, which threatened to become a flood had Donald Trump won a second term.
Biden was there to help the country emerge successfully from the COVID-19 pandemic and heal the wounds inflicted by the divisive and disruptive term of his predecessor.
Few thought he would be a two-term president — except the president himself, who most definitely did. However, when it became apparent that the game was up and his chances of winning the election in November were rapidly dwindling, all credit is due to him for acting with dignity and grace and stepping aside.
In his speech to the Democratic National Convention he was gracious in his endorsement of Harris, declaring: “Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became our nominee and it’s the best decision I made in my whole career.” He went on to say: “She’s tough, she’s experienced and she has enormous integrity.”
They have had their differences in the past, and like many VPs before her Harris was not always comfortable in her job, but now, signaling a unity within his party, Biden has promised to be “the best volunteer” for her campaign against Republican rival Donald Trump.
Though it only happened two months ago, the televised debate between Biden and Trump in June now feels like ancient history, and the Democrats’ fortunes immediately turned around when the president declared he would not seek reelection and instead backed Harris as his heir presumptive.
The renewed spring in the Democratic Party’s step was instant, as was the change in voting intentions of so many who might otherwise have voted for Trump or, more likely, stayed home on election day rather than voting for either Trump or Biden to lead America for another four years.
For these voters, both of those candidates represent the past, not the future. Certainly, until recently Harris was not a popular vice president but the effect on voters when she received the blessing not only of Biden but other Democratic grandees, such as the Clintons and the Obamas, was instant.
The party’s rank and file, who after the presidential debate believed their project was doomed and had lost all motivation to campaign for a lost cause, responded to this changing of the guard with great relief and hope, channeling this new-found optimism into support for Harris’ candidacy.
The televised debate between Biden and Trump in June now feels like ancient history.
Yossi Mekelberg
In strong contrast to her president, Harris is not only much younger and more energetic but also a woman of color, and should she be elected as US president in November she will likely shatter a multitude of glass ceilings.
One advantage of the endorsement of Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate coming relatively late in the process was that she did not have to endure the grueling process of the primaries, during which, win or lose, reputations can be dented, if not destroyed, by the time they conclude.
Instead, she received the almost universal endorsement of her party and quickly selected a running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, to complement what she offers the electorate but also to run alongside her as someone with no obvious ambition to succeed her.
While the energy and buzz around the Harris-Walz ticket — and more importantly their party’s instant surge in the polls, including in crucial swing states — seems to have justified the unusual decision to replace a presumptive nominee who had won the primaries by a mile, what is still missing from this partnership and their campaign is clear and detailed set of policies on the issues that most concern the American people.
As much as foreign affairs issues such as the wars in Gaza or Ukraine attract much political and media attention, and rightly so, Americans vote primarily on the merits of what their politicians promise and offer on domestic issues. It is generally the approaches candidates take to the economy, the cost of living, crime and violence, poverty and homelessness, and the availability and the affordability of healthcare that matter to voters, as much as their views on abortion rights.
While four years ago Biden had a task force writing for him a policy paper of more than 100 pages to back his bid for the White House, Harris is mainly cherry-picking from the current administration’s policies. In her defense, she can always argue that as part of the current administration, the successes of its policies are equally hers, and that considering she did not plan to run for president, at least for another four years, she was not able to develop more detailed policies in advance but mainly set her vision in terms of her own principles and values.
But she might find this argument under increasing scrutiny the closer it gets to polling day. To be sure, Trump is himself vague about specific policies and has no intention of presenting any clarity. He has clearly been rattled by the quick turn of events and, true to his character, has resorted to personal attacks on Harris’ looks, her laugh, and her ethnic background. He has also, absurdly, characterized her as a “communist,” which suggests he has never bothered to read the Communist Manifesto or any related literature.
By now, the Harris-Walz camp is very familiar with Trump’s crude and underhand tactics and is not fazed or threatened by them. Their road to the White House lies in the development of a social agenda that appeals to those who are being badly hurt by the high cost of living, who cannot afford housing, health or education, and who feel marginalized in American society. It lies in not scaring away those who are afraid of an agenda that is too progressive, and instead reaching out to them. And it lies, every step of the way, in rising above Trump’s personal attacks and treating them as no more than background noise.
• Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House.
X: @YMekelberg
