Staff Reports
A former fundraiser for Barack Obama isn’t jumping on the Kamala Harris bandwagon, and his take is lighting up conservative corners like a Fourth of July fireworks display. Don Peebles, a name that probably doesn’t ring a bell unless you’re well-versed in the liberal donor circuit, has come out swinging. He believes that not only is Harris nowhere close to being the second coming of Obama, but he’s also calling a 2024 presidential showdown for the former President Donald Trump.
Peebles, who spent years working the fundraising circuit for Obama, isn’t mincing words about the magical aura Democrats try to drape over Harris. He’s making it abundantly clear: Kamala is not the political prodigy the left wants everyone to believe. If anything, he argues, she’s more of a status quo stalwart—less “Charismatic Leader” and more “Talking Points Robot,” and not the kind of robot you’d want leading the nation into the future.
Harris is like a 2007 Obama, but without the speechwriters, teleprompters, verbal IQ, or charisma. https://t.co/FdmeqKdV2G
— Lucky Stabbin Hat 🧢 (@LuckyStabbinHat) November 1, 2024
During his Fox News appearance, Peebles revels in the contrast between Harris and Obama, likening her presence in politics to that of a wet blanket. In his view, Obama was a charismatic dynamo with a silver tongue, ready to usher in a new era. In stark contrast, Harris reportedly struggles with even the basics of staying on message, which ought to be a minimum requirement for any serious candidate aiming for the presidency. Meanwhile, the Obamas are out there campaign-trail-bonding with Harris, likely wishing she had picked up at least a fraction of Barack’s once-in-a-generation charm.
As if delivering a political prophecy from the mountaintop, Peebles suggests that Trump’s chances in 2024 are looking as solid as a rock. He affirms that if voters are looking for policies that make sense—newsflash, they typically are—Trump is poised to win in a landslide. With numbers beginning to swing in Trump’s direction, Peebles’ confidence isn’t entirely misplaced. No doubt, the 2020 cycle was a wild ride, but Trump appears to be on a better footing than he was in the previous two elections.
Real Clear Politics is tipping its cap to Trump as well; the average shows him sitting a mere 0.2 points above Harris, but even that razor-thin margin highlights a crucial detail. Trump is steadily favored across numerous battleground states, and let’s not forget, polls are notorious for getting it wrong—just ask any Hillary Clinton supporter from 2016. Should the polling averages hold up—and that’s a long shot in today’s political climate—Harris better buckle up. Trump not only performed better against Clinton and Biden at this juncture last cycle, but he might just be gearing up for a rematch that would have the media scrambling for damage control.
At the end of the day, if Harris wants to channel her inner Obama, maybe she should start with a little charisma training. No amount of media spin can conjure up the charm that seems to have skipped over her in the political gene pool. If Peebles is right, Trump’s crown might just shine a little brighter come 2024, leaving Harris scrambling for the spotlight that was never truly hers to begin with.
