Staff Reports
Kamala Harris seems to be on a mission to convince voters that she’s the beacon of change, undoubtedly hoping to dodge the sour reputations of her two predecessors. But those in the know are raising an eyebrow at her strategy, which appears to be a whimsical blend of tactics that brought Donald Trump and Joe Biden their respective victories. Much like Trump in 2016, Harris is drowning in free media exposure, while simultaneously embracing a “Basement-Biden” strategy for everything involving actual tough questions.
With the campaign season rapidly closing in, Democrats are banking on Harris’s ability to drag herself across the finish line, but without the long, grueling marathon of a traditional campaign. Instead of needing to campaign for a year and a half like other candidates, Harris merely has to maintain this high-speed chase until November – with early voting creeping up even sooner in key battleground states. The pressure is on, but with Harris’s well-documented penchant for verbal misfires, there’s a good reason why Republican honcho Ted Cruz anticipates a strict gag order, echoing the treatment Biden received during his own campaign.
WHO WILL BE THE FBI/DOJ' NEXT TARGET?
Ron DeSantis, then any other Republican candidate for President that may have a chance to win. That tactic works well in Communist Countries. pic.twitter.com/myM99PKdGM— Papa MAGA (@b_needleman) June 17, 2023
Unlike Biden, who struggled with the basics in 2020, Harris plans to be more visible and energetic on the campaign trail. By rolling out her running mate soon, she’ll hit swing states with a sense of renewed vigor, stirring up nostalgia for the Obama era. However, there’s been a notable shift in the media landscape, which has been unusually positive about Harris, particularly after Biden’s abysmal debate showing and rapid exit from the race. The Hollywood crowd is back on her side, creating an image that’s artificially buoyant.
A Republican pollster bluntly pointed out that the media is essentially doing Harris’s job for her, painting a picture where Trump needs to throw cash at ad campaigns just to level the playing field in a race that now resembles a well-staged Broadway production rather than a genuine political contest. While Harris raises a significant war chest, it’s clear she’s getting plenty of free advertising—without facing the same criticism her opponents encounter.
Despite her well-practiced public persona, Harris can’t entirely escape her past blunders, especially when it comes time for debating or addressing contentious topics. Her prior campaign positions are likely to come under scrutiny, and the smoother rhythm of her communication may falter under the pressure of addressing her own flip-flops. What’s more, while voters might be more concerned about Biden’s cognitive issues as he approaches retirement age, Harris has the luxury of sidestepping tough questions without the stigma of age weighing her down.
Political strategists from the right remind their camp to keep Harris’s record front and center. Her tenure as “border czar” and her position as one of the Senate’s most liberal members could easily cost her votes if handled correctly. It’s essential for Trump’s team to pull back the curtain on all the things voters may not know about Harris, especially when the key to connecting with undecided voters is reminding them that the left has a knack for hiding the true colors of its candidates behind a veil of upbeat rhetoric and heroic media spin. The race may not be what anyone expected, but that doesn’t mean it’s not game on for those who are determined to expose the inconsistencies lurking beneath Harris’s polished campaign facade.
