Staff Reports
Democratic strategist James Carville has taken on the role of Vice President Kamala Harris’s coach, offering her unsolicited advice on how to navigate her way through the upcoming election. While one might think the focus would be on rallying behind the sitting president, Carville seems to believe a game plan centered around distancing herself from Joe Biden is the golden ticket to victory. Perhaps he believes that admitting to being part of what many see as a faltering administration would be a vote of confidence.
One of Carville’s more intriguing suggestions is for Harris to separate herself from Biden on policy ideas. It’s not enough to be the Vice President; in Carville’s world, she should act as if she’s running against her own boss. This advice raises eyebrows, considering the fact that Harris has been instrumental in promoting the very policies that many Americans are now dissatisfied with. But of course, the goal here is to market herself as the “certified fresh candidate” while simultaneously trying to avoid the obvious pitfalls of being tied to Biden’s record.
James Carville's critique of Kamala Harris is that she looks like she 'tries too hard':
James Carville: "Sometimes the VP has a tendency to try too hard."
Katie Couric: "You can see the wheels turning in her head."
James Carville: "If I was in her head I'd say 'Reverse the… pic.twitter.com/7eNVXkgB1D— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) July 24, 2024
In a brilliant display of political theater, Carville suggests that Harris launch a rally immediately following the debates—an event that will take place in front of an audience that may or may not be interested in her latest batch of half-baked ideas. It seems Carville’s vision is for her to showcase this bold set of “new way forward” policies. Yet the irony isn’t lost here: after months on the campaign trail, all Harris has to offer are policies that sound suspiciously like recycled versions of Donald Trump’s ideas. It appears that originality is not one of her stronger suits.
Carville also believes that Harris should let Trump “be Trump” during their debate next week. Bizarrely, he suggests that she should encourage him to talk over her while she delivers her prepared lines. It’s as if Carville considers the erratic antics of Trump cannier than the crisp policy arguments Harris has failed to develop. Serious questions remain: Does letting Trump run wild somehow help to validate Harris’s lack of substance? Does engaging with conspiracy theories reflect the “new way forward” she’s promising? One can only conclude that Carville is either utterly confused or setting Harris up for a spectacular fail.
As the clock ticks down to the election, it has become painfully clear that Harris lacks any substantive policy proposals. Despite Carville’s insistence that she make bold moves, any indication of reform on her campaign website is conspicuously absent. Instead, the vice president seems more comfortable changing her accent than presenting coherent policy ideas. If this is the “new way forward,” conservative Americans are likely to be left shaking their heads, wondering whether the Democratic Party is still capable of genuine leadership or if it is destined to continue its descent into chaos.
