Staff Reports
In a stunning display of party loyalty, Democrats have managed to orchestrate an elaborate charade in which Joe Biden exits the presidential race while remaining firmly in office, much to the delight of journalists who seemingly have lost the ability to criticize their party. Rather than answering to the citizens who dared to voice their opinions in the primaries, the party has decided to plow ahead with an alternate plan, thrusting Kamala Harris into the spotlight as the new front-runner. It’s a move that would make any fair-minded person question the party’s claims of championing democracy. But for the Democrats, the removal of a floundering candidate like Biden appears to have rejuvenated hopes for the looming election against Donald Trump.
However, the grand plan reveals a glaring conundrum: how can Democrats sidestep the historical significance of Harris’s candidacy and maintain credibility with their own base? This is a party that has consistently pushed intersectional narratives to the forefront, so sidelining the “first female black vice president” was never a realistic option. Within a mere day of Biden’s departure, the Democratic delegates quickly rallied behind Harris, effectively sealing her fate as the presumptive nominee. In their quest to showcase a progressive, diverse front, they have more likely shackled themselves to a candidate whose approval ratings are markedly dismal.
🇺🇲 2024 GE: @ppppolls for Clean and Prosperous America PAC (Dem; full field)
ARIZONA
🟥 Trump: 46% (+6)
🟦 Harris: 40%
🟨 RFK Jr: 7%
🟩 Stein: 1%
—
MICHIGAN
🟥 Trump: 46% (+5)
🟦 Harris: 41%
🟨 RFK Jr: 6%
🟩 Stein: 2%
—
PENNSYLVANIA
🟥 Trump: 45% (+2)
🟦 Harris: 43%
🟨 RFK… https://t.co/lMbJRzzFeF pic.twitter.com/PcrU9qAF08— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) July 23, 2024
Despite the rosy proclamations of the mainstream media that Harris will ascend to greatness once she’s the official nominee, the reality is less optimistic. Data from a Democratic pollster shows Harris trailing across critical swing states, a fact that certainly has party strategists reaching for their hair gel in desperation. The notion that her fortunes will magically shift post-nomination is essentially a fairy tale — the kind one might expect from a party obsessed with fantasy narratives rather than grounded in reality.
When examining voter sentiment, the statistics paint a bleak picture for any future Harris-led campaign. A mere 21 percent of independents view her favorably, with a frightening number finding her unlikable or unprepared. Despite the Democrats’ hopeful spin regarding those who claim to know little about her, the cold hard truth is that once voters do become acquainted with her rather unique style of public speaking—as riveting as a lecture on Venn diagrams—they find her lacking. The awkwardness that has plagued her tenure as vice president seems unlikely to dissipate as she attempts to pivot to a presidential campaign.
The Democrats face a daunting task ahead: they must transform Kamala Harris into a palatable candidate while combating widespread perceptions of inauthenticity and unpreparedness. As they hold this internal debate about the viability of their new golden girl, they also must reckon with the implications of having forced out an incumbent president. It’s a political sleight of hand that might just lead to their downfall when the polls close, with voters left to choose between the real world and the carefully crafted media façade the party is promoting. Good luck with that, Democrats.
