Staff Reports
Day One of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago wasn’t just a political gathering; it was a circus—minus the elephants but including a sparse crowd of protesters that somehow managed to break through barricades. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden made a rare public appearance, almost as if he was searching for his missing teleprompter. Vice President Kamala Harris decided to grace the attendees with a surprise speech. It’s almost like the Democrats forgot to book a decent turnout for their big show.
It’s hard to ignore that Harris seems to have pulled ahead of former President Donald Trump in the polling average. Not to mention, despite her chaotic reign, she and her crew have clearly positioned themselves to overlook the underwhelming threat posed by potential third-party challengers. Figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, and Cornel West seem about as menacing to the Democratic establishment as a toothless house cat. Democratic leaders confidently articulated that they’re merely a flight of fancy for disgruntled voters rather than a legitimate electoral threat. Harris’s team appears to have adopted a “we’re too busy partying to worry about them” mentality, suggesting they’d just rather party on and talk about their achievements—even if those achievements are hard to find.
Washington Examiner: Wake up with the Washington Examiner: Harris kills concerns, another Biden plan blocked, and a looming healthcare problem https://t.co/81fplRPPuf
— Ian’s Newsfeed 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHNewsFeed) August 20, 2024
The Democrats once seemed panicked about RFK Jr.’s potential impact, frantically trying to keep him off ballots as if he were a runaway shopping cart in a crowded supermarket. But things have changed; the excitement has fizzled out, thanks in part to JFK’s heir having a fondness for conspiracy theories that ultimately did more to help the GOP than harm it. The GOP is keen to keep the hope of an outsider alive. Meanwhile, those frustrated by Harris’s lack of responsiveness have turned to third-party options, almost as if they could hear whispers in the wind warning them that voting for a “traditional” Democrat might as well be voting for a plunge off a cliff.
In the midst of the Democratic festivities, a new anti-Harris movement dubbed “Abandon Harris” is taking shape. This slogan surfaced outside the DNC venue, with activists drawing parallels to the infamous protests of 1968. They declared that the only viable option for conscientious voters was to “abandon” Harris, harping on the idea that tolerance for her policies equates to an endorsement of grim outcomes. It’s as if the Democrats can’t seem to shake off their internal turmoil while the outside world watches with bemusement.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court handed President Biden yet another setback by blocking his latest attempt to redefine Title IX rules. This effort seems to move like a turtle competing in the Olympics when juxtaposed with real policy progress. The justices decided that Biden’s Department of Education had wandered too far from its lane when it tried to redefine “sex,” prompting some to wonder if the judges were simply unimpressed by the Democrats’ consistently shifting narratives on gender.
As Biden, with a propensity for trial and error, shuffles through rule changes like a toddler in a candy store, Kamala is sweeping in to promise even more alterations to the healthcare system. Gone are the days of big, bold single-payer discussions; now it’s all about capping drug prices—an initiative that’s as appealing on the surface as cotton candy but carries the weight of hidden costs that could leave ordinary Americans reeling. The Heritage Foundation experts are sounding alarms louder than a fire truck, warning that while the up-front savings may seem like a gift, the hidden consequences will have consumers footing an even larger bill come premium time.
In a landscape where outrage seems to be the soup du jour for Democrats, they still can’t seem to quell the voices in the room. The DNC is now left to navigate a minefield of its own making as disillusionment and dissent brew among its ranks. While they might be painting their rosy picture, the reality is that uncertainty lingers, and the specter of a more unified Republican front looms large as the nation prepares for a rollercoaster of an election season.
