Staff Reports
The New York Times editorial board recently threw its support behind Kamala Harris for president, but this endorsement comes with a twist that could make even a seasoned political analyst raise an eyebrow. The real subtext of their decision appears to be less about trumpeting Harris’s qualifications and more about their desperate desire to keep Donald Trump from stepping foot in the Oval Office again. It’s the kind of endorsement that might be described as “damning with faint praise,” if there were ever a phrase that could accurately capture the essence of the board’s effort.
Reading through the op-ed, one can practically feel the awkwardness seeping from the pages. There’s a noticeable lack of enthusiasm in the prose, akin to a room full of partygoers who would rather be anywhere else. While the editorial board attempts to highlight Harris’s achievements, the narrative swiftly veers into qualifying only how less awful she is compared to the former president. One can almost hear the sighs behind the scenes as board members attempted to muster enough confidence to make the case for her candidacy.
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It’s clear that when the Times decided to endorse Harris, they weren’t necessarily promoting her vision for America or her experience in government; they were merely participating in an elaborate game of political charades. The yardstick here seems to be based on a binary choice: either Harris or another four years of Trump. They seem to forget that not every conservative in the country is someone who would automatically back Trump, but also might not rally behind Harris’s policies, which many find lackluster at best.
Ironically, the New York Times’ grasping straws for a candidate who could challenge Trump is perhaps more revealing than they realize. The editorial board’s choice reflects an echo of the 2020 election cycle, where the focus was more on defeating Trump than on showcasing any real talent among the Democratic contenders. Harris, who has often found herself muddled in party politics and infamous for her awkward debate moments, isn’t exactly the paragon of virtue to carry the Democratic torch.
Ultimately, this endorsement might just be the Democratic party’s best-kept secret: it’s a rallying cry for the legions of anti-Trumpers, not for a strong candidate. The Times can endorse Kamala Harris all they like, but that doesn’t change the reality that many American voters are looking for something more than just an “anybody but Trump” option. It highlights the profound struggle within the left to produce a candidate with the kind of appeal that can stand on its own merits—without descending into the pit of Trump-worship.
