In a recent appearance on “The View,” former Vice President Kamala Harris tried to unpack the emotional turmoil she experienced after losing the 2024 presidential race. It’s rare to witness such dramatic self-reflection publicly; one might think she had mistaken a political campaign for a personal tragedy. Harris seemed to blame everything but her pet goldfish for her loss, citing insufficient time as a factor—one might chuckle, considering she had a solid four years in office, plus an extended campaign effort.
It’s clear her cathartic storytelling didn’t land for many. An independent journalist pointed out that Harris’s political presence was not meant to be viable to begin with. Her journey was riddled with astroturf-like promotion, media optics, and even podcasts more suited to a popstar than a policymaker. It’s as if she was pushed onto the stage without any real resonance with the voters who were supposed to support her.
It’s rather amusing that someone who held a top position in the country still struggles to articulate what they might have done differently than their predecessor. Harris’s insistence that she would have done nothing differently from President Biden offered Americans a confusing image of an administration with very few unique ideas. If one is vying for the presidency, one might think it wise to differentiate oneself from the incumbent. It speaks volumes about her strategic acumen—or lack thereof.
Moreover, what resonates painfully clear is Harris’s perpetual game of pinning the proverbial “pass the buck” tail on everyone but herself. Her recent book is aptly woven with tales of blaming colleagues, the campaign team, and circumstances beyond control—all while affirming her intelligence in various professions. Yet she seemed oblivious to the concept of being a political leader, capable of swift and decisive action. The irony lies in her claim of loyalty to President Biden while hinting at the pitfalls of his administration.
Ultimately, reflecting on Kamala Harris’s run and her ponderings post-election, one can’t help but note the performative nature of her campaign. The public appeared uninterested in pre-packaged narratives without substantive policies or charismatic appeal. The Republican base may not need to worry too much about the opposition if Democrats keep fielding contenders who spend their time blaming others and reminiscing about TV appearances as sob stories, rather than preparing actionable, voter-resonating platforms.
