Staff Reports
The Democrats appear to be dusting off their old playbook from 2020 in hopes of staging a repeat performance with Kamala Harris in 2024. It seems that the left believes in recycling strategies almost as much as they believe in recycling bottles. Joe Biden cleverly turned the 2020 election into a basement affair, using COVID-19 as the perfect excuse to keep him under wraps, away from the prying eyes of the public. Meanwhile, Harris, who has never been known for her charisma or conversational skills, will likely find herself similarly shielded from the media spotlight.
Biden’s handlers recognized that the more people saw him, the less they liked him. With the world locked down, he could conduct a campaign style reminiscent of the old-timey front porch chats—except there was far more front porch and very little chat. All the while, the media, Democratic bigwigs, and a cabal of billionaire donors worked overtime to put together a campaign juggernaut that made their candidate look viable, albeit from a distance.
Harris Is Recycling the 2020 Democrat Campaign https://t.co/we6WThCH9M #Politics
— RealClearPolitics (@RCPolitics) August 2, 2024
Now, as Harris preps for a run, one must ponder how much of that strategy can be employed. COVID isn’t a handy excuse this time around, so Harris will likely have to remain in her bubble to avoid unscripted performances. With her propensity for putting her foot in her mouth, it’s no wonder her team will likely limit her interactions with non-partisan journalists. The hope is that a well-crafted script can distract voters from her previous, more radical positions.
The biggest hurdle for Harris will be adopting a moderate image. Biden was able to play the role of the “common man” while his party veered sharply to the left. But Harris lacks that historical cover. Known for pandering to ultra-liberal voters, she has consistently endorsed extreme policies, including the abolishment of the police, an aggressive Green New Deal, and radical approaches to Second Amendment rights. Her past is less about a “centrist” approach and more about a tapestry of leftist ideology.
Moreover, her involvement in the chaotic protests of 2020 and vocal support for bail reforms for arrested rioters certainly left a mark. With issues of public safety and law enforcement at the front of voters’ minds, the Democrats will have to spin her history of radical rhetoric like a DJ at a high school prom. The left not only wants to distance Harris from her past but is also banking on voters’ amnesia and apathy when it comes to the extreme actions of their party.
In conclusion, the upcoming 2024 campaign is likely to see the Democrats pulling the same tricks they employed in 2020. Yet, there’s a significant difference in that the party’s chosen candidate lacks the cloak of moderation that Biden wore to perfection. As Harris prepares to take the stage—likely from the safety of her carefully selected pod—Republicans will be tasked with making sure that voters see through the smokescreen of her hustle. It’s one thing to sell a fake moderate; it’s another entirely to sell someone with a track record as radical as Harris’s. If their strategy is to rely on a stealth campaign, the Republican Party must ensure it shines a spotlight on her past, which could lead to a very different outcome in 2024.
