Staff Reports
The Biden presidency is effectively on life support, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the reluctant heir apparent to a party teetering on the brink of collapse. Democrats are pinning their hopes on Harris for 2024, but it’s less about enthusiasm and more about necessity. Biden is left with little choice; if he were to bow out gracefully, his only option would be to back Harris. Keeping the party together in this fractured state, reminiscent of the chaos following the 1968 elections, seems to be high on his to-do list. Despite the cloudy skies, Harris is riding the wave of over $250 million in donations—a clear sign that Biden’s campaign funds were likely running on fumes heading into the most critical phase of the election cycle.
However, not everyone is convinced that throwing Harris into the ring is a wise move. Political commentator Steve Kornacki has raised concerns about her untested nature, reminding everyone that Harris folded her campaign before the 2020 primaries even began; her campaign barely had more staying power than Tom Steyer’s. The reality is that both Biden and Harris share an equally dismal approval rating, each dragging a legacy that hasn’t inspired much confidence. Kornacki noted that the idea of Harris performing any better than Biden is based on blind optimism rather than actual supportive data.
NBC's Kornacki: Idea That Kamala Harris Will Do Better Than Biden Is "Based More On Hope" Than Any Numbershttps://t.co/vkeO04Cr7g
"She has not really been tested. Her name never got to a primary ballot in 2020. She dropped out a couple of months before that." pic.twitter.com/ubt6eM1gfm
— RCP Video (@rcpvideo) July 22, 2024
The notion of Biden stepping back from the race is particularly unprecedented. In modern American politics, a presumptive nominee has never simply stepped aside. This departure would create more questions than answers and amplify the chaos within the Democratic Party. Harris may be the one tapped to carry the banner, but her trailing numbers may reflect a party scrambling for hope instead of showcasing genuine strength. Recent polls indicate that Trump and Harris are neck and neck, but that’s still a tough pill to swallow for Democrats who had higher expectations.
Comparing approval ratings provides even less comfort for Team Harris. While Biden’s numbers hover around a dismal 36% favorable compared to 57% unfavorable, Harris is not faring much better. Her numbers edge up slightly to 38% favorable, but still present a stark reality: more than half of voters have an unfavorable impression of her. In contrast, Trump stands at 41% favorable and 55% unfavorable—a situation that suggests he still enjoys a somewhat more favorable standing than the current Democratic options.
What this really highlights is Trump’s broad coalition support, which allows him to remain competitive even with less-than-stellar approval ratings. His voter base is concentrated in battleground areas where they can significantly impact the election outcome. Meanwhile, Harris is counting on support from coastal elites and a corridor of political power that may not be enough if they feel disenchanted, just like they did with Biden’s lackluster performance. Suppose the aim is to paint Harris as a fresh face with a renewed vision. In that case, it remains to be seen if her rapid descent into verbal blunders won’t lead to a similar sense of disappointment among potential Democratic supporters.
