Kamala Harris boasts an extensive digital footprint – the modern equivalent of a paper trail – that characterizes her as an extreme liberal.
This isn’t unexpected, considering that throughout her career – from prosecutor to state attorney general to senator – she primarily needed to cater to her left-leaning constituents in the solidly Democrat California.
However, as the Democratic nominee, Harris will inevitably need to clarify or distance herself from some of those prior views that might not resonate well in a fiercely competitive national race, especially with recent polls indicating she is neck-and-neck with Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, while holding a 6-point lead in Minnesota.
The Trump campaign, where the former president has labeled Harris a “bum” and made fun of her name, is reviving some of her most notable liberal stances. Meanwhile, mainstream media, which influential blogger Andrew Sullivan refers to as having “amnesia,” is suggesting that while she might win, “Harris represents one of the weakest and wokest Democratic candidates. She cannot realistically sway the center after such extreme-left posturing.”
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Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance and VP Kamala Harris. (Getty Images)
As the initial excitement fades, Harris will need to articulate to voters why her previous positions may have changed, if she indeed no longer holds them. Perhaps she has “evolved,” or it might be that her tenure representing San Francisco influenced her perspective at that time. Alternatively, her experiences as VP could have shifted her views. Nevertheless, she cannot simply ignore her past.
Even the media’s earlier forgetfulness will eventually catch up with her.
For instance, amid the Black Lives Matter protests in summer 2020 after George Floyd’s murder, Harris was instrumental in supporting a bail fund aimed at getting certain offenders released from jail.
She remarked in one interview: “They will not relent, and they ought not to. And we should not either.”
In another conversation, Harris stated: “The idea that more police officers will enhance safety is both antiquated and erroneous.”
During her 2020 campaign, she proclaimed: “Private prisons profit from the incarceration and agony of individuals. A key priority of mine as president will be to initiate the phase-out of private prisons and detention facilities.”
Throughout the same campaign, Harris expressed her support for Medicare for All – a favorite among Bernie Sanders supporters – while acknowledging that it would eliminate private health insurance. Joe Biden chose not to endorse such a drastic leftist approach.
Harris also vowed to prohibit fracking, but has since softened this stance through comments made by an aide.
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When the media quickly shifted their allegiance from Biden (who can certainly serve another four years!) to Harris (she represents a young, invigorating voice!), they established a strong defensive position.
Numerous leading news outlets attempted to debunk claims that she had ever been designated as border czar. A notably unflattering instance was Axios, which asserted that “the Trump campaign and Republicans have repeatedly labeled Harris as ‘border czar’ — a title she never officially held.”
However, back in 2021, Axios reported: “Harris, appointed by Biden as border czar…”
(Axios later updated its article.)
While it’s accurate that this was simply a shorthand term, and that Harris was assigned to address the root causes of illegal immigration and did engage diplomatically with Mexico and Guatemala, it raises the question: why deny she held that unofficial role?
Supporters who refer to the vice president as a DEI pick justify this by noting Biden had essentially vowed to choose a Black woman.
One guest on FOX Business lowered the discourse further by likening Harris to the Hawk-Tuah girl (involving a sexual act; Google it if you’re unaware).
Meanwhile, Trump has charged Harris with orchestrating a “coup” (notably, no one ran against her). He further claimed that Jews ought to have their heads examined if they support the Democrats (it’s worth noting that Kamala is married to a Jewish man).
President Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (Evan Vucci, Pool via AP)
Trump may have lowered expectations by referring to Harris as “dumb as a rock,” particularly after the nearly flawless execution of her first week.
It seems that Trump is still navigating the optimal approach to compete against the 59-year-old Harris. (The Washington Post has an insightful TikTok detailing how Donna Brazile and other associates spent weeks strategizing for a potential Kamala candidacy, should Biden withdraw.)
In contrast, the media’s coverage of JD Vance allows no prior comment to go unnoticed.
The Harris campaign is keenly trying to characterize both Trump and Vance as peculiar, labeling Vance’s views as “weird and extreme.” Simultaneously, the Trump faction is attempting to portray Harris as eccentric. It’s all quite peculiar.
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Vance’s most controversial moment arose from a 2021 Fox interview, where he described a “childless cat lady,” naming Harris among others, as having no direct stake in society and living miserable lives. He later expanded this criticism to include childless media personnel.
This quip led to a confrontation with Jennifer Aniston, a distraction he likely wished to avoid, and drew criticism from the Wall Street Journal’s editorial section.
Initially, the Ohio senator claimed to Megyn Kelly that he was being sarcastic and expressed his fondness for cats.
Recently, on Sunday, Fox host Trey Gowdy pointed out to Vance that figures like George Washington and James Madison also did not have biological offspring.
“When you look at what the left has done,” Vance remarked, “they’ve distorted this context and have, in fact, deliberately misrepresented my words. What I believe is true, Trey, and this resonates at the core of our discussion from three years ago, is that the left has increasingly adopted an explicitly anti-child and anti-family stance.
Former President Trump shakes hands with Sen. JD Vance during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
“The left has discouraged young families from having children due to fears concerning climate change. They’ve insinuated that those who do bear children are somehow acting selfishly, whereas I believe parenthood is the most selfless act one can undertake, profoundly altering one’s perspective.
“This is not an indictment; it was never a critique of individuals living without children,” he clarified.
It’s noteworthy that Harris has been deeply involved in the upbringing of her husband Doug Emhoff’s kids — a fact confirmed in a statement from Doug’s ex-wife.
Undoubtedly, this campaign is shaping up to be one of the most unusual in American history – and may indeed hinge on perceptions of eccentricity. Nonetheless, it feels as though there’s a double standard at play, especially given the media’s overarching consensus that Trump poses a threat to democracy.
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Footnote: As Trump refrains from committing to a debate or debates with Harris for the moment – claiming uncertainty over who the nominee will be – it’s worth noting one critical point.
Trump negotiated those debate conditions with Joe Biden, agreeing to his terms. He certainly retains the right to renegotiate with Harris following her sudden emergence as the new nominee. Fox News has proposed a debate in September after Trump turned down ABC due to perceived bias. While I can’t predict whether any debates will transpire, the former president is fully within his rights to establish a new agreement.
It’s telling that Biden was the one who insisted on an early debate with Trump, likely aiming to shake up the campaign trajectory. In hindsight, considering what we now know, how could his team have mistakenly sent him into that situation?
