Staff Reports
Former Obama adviser David Axelrod has jumped in with both feet, issuing a warning to Democrats not to get too carried away with Vice President Kamala Harris’s rising popularity. It appears Axelrod, perhaps trying to keep his party grounded, believes the 2024 election is still firmly in the hands of former President Donald Trump—if he doesn’t fumble the football first.
Polling shows Harris has managed to swipe the lead over Trump recently, but Axelrod dials it back, suggesting the race isn’t as straightforward as the Democrats may wish. He’s adamant that it remains a “really tight race,” implying both candidates have a mountain to climb if they want to seize that shiny prize called victory. The excitement in the Democratic camp sounds a lot like wishful thinking, as Axelrod points out that Trump is still ahead, especially in battleground states. If history has taught anyone anything, it’s that national polling sessions can feel like a warm, fuzzy blanket until the winter winds of reality come howling in.
David Axelrod says 2024 race is still ‘absolutely’ Trump’s to lose https://t.co/5mXt3gxe4y
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 5, 2024
What’s fueling Harris’s brief upswing in favorability? Axelrod isn’t buying it, labeling it as “irrational exuberance.” It fits right in with the classic Democrat strategy of riding the emotional rollercoaster, especially after a season of Biden’s dismal approval ratings left party members gasping for air. Axelrod believes the rising excitement comes from the mere fact that folks now feel a glimmer of hope, a flicker in the dark, clinging on to the notion that things could somehow improve.
Trump supporters are already getting a taste of the typical political patterns as some skeptics suggest that this spike in support for Harris might be akin to a “honeymoon” phase. Following this analogy, savvy political figures like New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu believe that this infatuation will wear off quicker than a soap bubble in a windstorm—maybe lasting a month at best. The irony, of course, is delicious; a Democratic “honeymoon” period sounds eerily similar to past political narratives that fizzled before blooming into anything substantial.
As the Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison joyfully announced Harris’s secured delegates, the backdrop shows Biden slipping away from the 2024 contest after a less-than-stellar debate showing. Meanwhile, Trump seems to be playing with the idea of whether he should grace the debate stage with Harris. Interestingly enough, while Trump is up for the challenge, Harris would rather take a different avenue, opting for an ABC News debate rather than tussling with Trump on live TV. The gamesmanship hints at a candidate who might fear the spotlight—or perhaps just prefers the comfy confines of a friendlier audience.
So, while Democrats may bask in Harris’s fleeting popularity, the underlying currents of political reality remind everyone that it’s still a long road to November 2024. Whether Harris’s new support translates into votes or just more hot air remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: this race is bound to get messy, and Trump’s not likely to go down without an all-out brawl.
