Why Kamala Harris Hasn't Caught Fire in the Democratic 2020 Race

[brooklynite]

Bloomberg

Kamala Harris entered the presidential race with impressive credentials -- a popular black woman with an inspiring story who hailed from a large Democratic state and drew accolades for her fiery questioning of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

Yet despite a shot of adrenaline after confronting front-runner Joe Biden in the first debate, she has failed to catch fire with Democratic voters who are torn between a nostalgic fondness for Biden and a revolutionary desire for Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.

Harris’s attempt to replicate her feat in the second debate backfired among Democrats who say she went too negative on Biden. The Californian also suffers from a perception that she lacks a deep ideological well to guide her policy ideas, in contrast to her three main rivals who are better-defined. And her past as a prosecutor has earned her supporters and detractors.

Harris and Senator Cory Booker “really went after Vice President Biden -- it rebounded to their detriment that they went after Biden so much. Because it also looked like they were not just going after Biden, but they were going after the Obama legacy,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, which is neutral in the primaries.

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. I had always hoped that Kamala would leave room to be Biden's VP running mate, but I feel...

differently now. If he were to choose her, I would accept his decision, but reluctantly. I do think she'd make a great AG.

[katmondoo]

2. My opinion of Harris and Cory Booker went way down after they attacked Biden.

I thought they were both using outdated material against Joe Biden. Times change and opinions change over the years. Mine have and so have politicians.

[George II]

5. That did more harm than good. Reasonable people understand that the last thing Biden is....

...is "racist" or not supportive of racial equality.

Bad issue upon which to attack Biden.

[crazytown]

11. That's what I thought.

Of all the things to challenge Obama's VP about, racism was not one of them, to put it mildly.

[treestar]

15. And deliberately missed the issue

they played at being offended at the mere mention that there were segregationist Senators in those days and that one could work with them on some issues. Issues of those days. And tried to make it personal too (she was a little girl Biden of all people in that Senate, was "hurting.&quot Later when her push back at Tulsi was like "I am a higher tier candidate than she is" reminds me of Marcia Brady claiming to be more popular, it seemed this person has a lot of growing up left to do, even at 54.

[Thekaspervote]

19. Good summation of what happened.. thx for posting

[Skya Rhen]

25. I agree with every single word you just said...

[ReformedGOPer]

30. This is exactly how I feel. I can't see myself ever supporting her (unless she's the nominee)

[emmaverybo]

33. Yes. The Biden attack and her reaction to Gabbard's attack seemed juvenile to me--that is in style

and tactics. She could have challenged Biden in a more straight forward way, without the corny theatrics and also responded to Gabbard without going low.

I think she damaged her own image. Now she needs to show her grit AND integrity in the upcoming debate as well as work to gain, authentically and in her own right, more AA support.

[Jane Austin]

35. Corny theatrics resonates with me.

I was thinking drama queen, but that is too demeaning.

The "corny theatrics" really bothered me about that exchange.

She would do well to drop that.

[emmaverybo]

38. I was thinking "Diva," but that only applies to her use of debate theatrics, not her overall

personality or political behavior. She has presence, a certain glamor, wonderful speaking voice, and
an ability to carry off a dramatic moment that most politicians are simply not up to. So I would mean “Diva” in a good sense too.

[highplainsdem]

17. Same here. It was very disappointing.

[SHRED]

27. +10

[hlthe2b]

3. "Harris's attempt to replicate her feat in the second debate backfired among Democrats who say she

went too far"... Yup. I think she and Booker are more attuned to younger African Americans on the West Coast and NE, but far less so--especially with middle age and older black populations-- of the South.

It is understandable that they might think they KNOW how these populations will react, but there is no monolith of opinions within racial, gender, or ethnic groups and certainly not across age cohorts. Ditto across regions of the country. Thinking otherwise is a serious mistake for any of the candidates.

[George II]

4. Although she got a five or six day bump after attacking Biden about busing 30+ years ago....

....once people looked into it and found that her position wasn't too far from Biden's. And then word of that "I was that girl" tshirt that was ready for sale hours after the debate came out, and in only about a week her poll results were right back down where they started.

[Kahuna7]

10. She had her Perry Mason moment, then poof. nt

[Kurt V.]

6. the most hurtful thing for me is so many ppl associate biden to

Obama's legacy. Its natural to do it, i suppose.

[hlthe2b]

14. Why is this "hurtful" to you?

Are you deriding Obama or Biden or both?

[Kurt V.]

18. not hurtful emotionally, hurtful to my sensibilities.

biden is but a tiny fraction of Obama's legacy but is getting lopsided credit imo

[Kahuna7]

21. Biden was a trusted and valuable adviser, both economically

and with foreign affairs. Remember, Obama only had two years in the senate when he was elected. He needed Biden's extensive knowledge (which he still has ) to keep the country afloat during the Great Recession.

[treestar]

32. +11

That was what showed Obama was really smart. One of his good decision IMO.

[emmaverybo]

34. You are wrong there. VP Biden was essential to some very key pieces of Obama's agenda. Your

opinion does not match reality. In awarding Biden the medal of freedom and heaping praise upon him, Obama was not merely waxing sentimental.

[Kahuna7]

20. Why shouldn't they? I don't get it. Didn't you

see the pieces over the weekend about how Biden delivered the three gop needed to get the stimulas package passed. That was a BFD.

[Kurt V.]

23. i didn't see it. i only watch what my antenna gets. the only news it gets is DW.

[Kahuna7]

24. Here are the examples I reference.

This is the Ron Klain oped that ran on Friday:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/04/30/joe-biden-decency-heal-americas-wounds-after-trump-column/3616672002/

Biden has taken on dictators and the NRA
Joe Biden was the person who got those three “yes” votes and got the bill passed. As a result, America reversed its downward spiral and made huge investments in clean energy, new roads, electric cars, tax relief for working class families, and help for those in need with expanded food stamps. The president put Biden in charge of what was the largest domestic program since the New Deal; he hit every target for getting the aid out quickly and without waste.


But if Biden knows how to win Republican votes to get things done, he also knows how to deliver change against implacable opposition. He played a key role in working with Obama and Democratic congressional leaders to pass the Affordable Care Act (an achievement he memorably called a “BFD”), helping to hold Democrats together and defending them against GOP attacks. He took on and beat the NRA twice in shepherding the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban to passage.


And make no mistake: Biden’s soft heart toward people in need is matched with an iron will when needed. Unlike Trump’s groveling to dictators, Biden traveled to the Balkans and called dictator Slobodan Milosevic a “war criminal” to his face. He confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin in person in the Kremlin. He would repair our relations with our allies and restore the dignity of the presidency on a global stage.

Then there was this tweet from Michael Grunwald of Politco which also address the accusation that Biden is surely in his dotage for believing he can work with republicans.

Link to tweet

[Kurt V.]

28. Thanks 👍

[Demsrule86]

29. Biden is part of Obama's legacy...it hurts your candidate for sure because she isn't... having

gone after Pres. Obama once or twice at least. Biden played a very important role...and consider his role in LGBTQ rights. I fail to understand why EW should be the nominee when she doesn't poll well with the AA commuinty nor moderates...she will not have widespread appeal in the general. It is my opinion that she will not be the nominee even if she ekes out a win in New Hamshire or Iowa...two small white states who should not choose our nominee.

[mainstreetonce]

7. She is still#2on my list

And I would love to see her as VP.
I hope she picks up support again.

[democratisphere]

8. Can't attack your own and get away with it.

Last edited Tue Sep 3, 2019, 09:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Voters are sick of attacks.

KG and KH now know THIS.

[vlyons]

9. Going after Dem opponents for selfish political advantage is not something that inspires me.

The #1 problem in this country is the corruption of money, Wall St money, oil money, corporate money, gun money, anti-union money, big pharma money, dark money. It's money that suppresses the vote, money that fuels divisiveness, money that demonizes minorities, money that promotes a religious theocracy, money that sells us poison, money that pollutes our environment.

It's the corruption, stupid. And it is why I support Elizabeth Warren.

[treestar]

16. Yes, I dislike the idea that such behavior displays "toughness."

or "playing hardball" which is supposedly what successful people do. That rewards bullies.

[ReformedGOPer]

31. +1

[LincolnRossiter]

12. Short answer: After initially striking pay dirt in the first debate, she (and Booker) overreached

in the second. She rubbed a lot of people waaaay wrong. It should have been enough to draw a contrast with Biden concerning visions and policies going forward. There are meaningful distinctions to highlight. But this “let’s drag up old shit and carefully imply something unflattering about Biden’s racial history” didn’t fly in the end. Taking on Obama certainly didn’t help.

Love to see her as AG, but wouldn’t want her on the ticket if I were Biden.

[Skya Rhen]

26. +1,000,000

[emmaverybo]

36. I am wishing Biden, should he be our nominee, a potential VP as engaged, loyal, trustworthy, and

knowledgeable as was Biden. It is a tall order. But Biden does not have to confine his choices to those running in the primaries.

For one, there are many women of color in the senate with ample qualifications and accomplishments. Joe knows a lot of women in politics across the nation. I hope, and think it likely, he will put diversity on the ticket.

[Hortensis]

13. I'm unhappy with her questionable wobbling around on healthcare.

I expected her to have a strong, ethical and extremely competent, well thought out position on this hugely important issue.

Instead she endorsed razing the ACA and starting over from scratch with MfA, which to my mind is so foolish and hurtful as to suggest incompetence and raise ethical questions. The ONLY reason to do that would be if the ACA were legally destroyed in a way that left MfA still viable. But the way its brand name caught fire is the biggest reason candidates associated themselves with it. Sanders, who started it of course, has his own personal reasons, whatever they all are.

Then she wobbled on that.

She hurt herself by criticizing Biden too much, but one only knows how this stuff will fly afterward and she had to do something to break out. So interesting that going after the front runner aggressively may have hurt Booker just as much as it did the female candidate.

She's still on my list, and he, but I'm disappointed. Klobuchar is not as liberal as me, but she is acceptably liberal and progressive, and I wish she'd move up. She's earned a reputation for knowing what she stands for and for being able to achieve it.

[emmaverybo]

37. It bothered me that after the second debate, when pressed on whether her proposal would

take away employer provided insurance, she said no, that she would simply remove the employer
from the private insurance. What a way to finesse an answer.

She knows very well that if one has to get insurance for oneself, an individual plan as opposed to group, equivalent coverage costs so much more in premiums, drug costs, and deductibles. Also, many employers and retirement benefits plans pay a large portion of the premium.

So her answer was a hedge.

One thing I do like is that Harris does not propose pie-in-the-sky policies and seems to have prioritized do-able plans.

[brush]

22. IMO these polls mean little. The race gets serious after the nearly all white contests in Iowa...

and New Hampshire are over. Iowa's archaic caucus is non-democratic and NH is 1.1% African American. South Carolina's demographic is much more reflective of the Demographic Party's actual constituency (POCs being well represented) and Biden then Harris will do well there.

And shortly afterward comes Super Tuesday with Harris' home state of California included now (with its huge haul of delegates). Harris will do well there also and by then the field will have winnowed down to all but the candidates with an actual chance, and delegates—Biden, Warren, Sanders, Harris, Buttigieg.