Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for the presidency is shaping up to be as eventful as a game of charades with a mime—full of gestural promises but absolutely no substantive talk. With her campaign website lacking any actual policy positions, Harris is apparently opting for the “just trust me” strategy. One wonders how her strategy can be defined when her site has exactly zero policy proposals listed. Instead, it’s a smorgasbord of biographies featuring her and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. It’s almost as if they’re trying to sell their life stories instead of a vision for the country.
Not only does Harris lack policies, but she has also strangely neglected to hold any significant press conferences since taking the presumptive nominee title. Sure, she’s fielded some questions from reporters outside Air Force II, but that’s more of a casual chat than a serious discussion. It’s reminiscent of a student trying to avoid giving a presentation by answering questions in the hallway. Her last solo press conference was a brief affair back in December 2023—six questions in twelve minutes in Dubai, where she discussed international negotiations. If that’s her version of engaging with the media, it’s safe to say she may be trying to set a record for absolute non-involvement.
A source tells me that Kamala Harris last gave a solo press conference on Dec 2, 2023 in Dubai about Israel/Palestinian negotiations.
12 minutes, six questions pic.twitter.com/r1SRoePKjU
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) August 8, 2024
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is showing Harris how it’s done. He recently had an extensive press conference at his luxurious Mar-a-Lago estate, proving that even under pressure, he knows how to handle the media like a seasoned pro. Harris, on the other hand, appears to be doing backflips to avoid direct scrutiny, opting instead to tackle softer topics that won’t rock her campaign boat. This control over the narrative, as defined by her campaign team, is certainly intriguing. What are they so afraid of? In a time when critical issues like inflation and immigration are rampant, steering clear of the press may not be the smartest tactic she could employ.
To add further insult to injury, Harris hasn’t managed to earn a single primary vote. That’s right: zero. While she might have snuck into the nominee role due to some behind-the-scenes maneuvering by Democratic bigwigs, her voter legitimacy is looking as thin as tissue paper. Florid speculation points to a systematic push to sideline President Biden, whose own leadership woes in debates further fueled the unrest among top party operatives and Hollywood elites. The party’s internal drama could rival a reality television show.
So what does this tell the average American? It illustrates that the Democrats might be relying more on the power of the party machinery than on popular support from voters. Without even the minimal respect of putting forth actual policies, communicating effectively with the media, or winning the early primary votes, Harris is running a campaign that resembles more of a ghostly apparition than a serious bid for the presidency. It will be fascinating to watch how this plays out, or more to the point, how Harris plans to tackle actual tangible issues rather than avoiding the spotlight.
