Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have taken the lead in one of the most heated political battles in recent history. Their triumph over the Republicans, however, is far from commendable. The strange choice of J.D. Vance as a running mate by former President Trump, guided by his misplaced confidence was a self-inflicted wound that tends to raise eyebrows. Rather than paying attention to seasoned Republican planners who could have advised him that J.D. Vance, in all honestly, was more a vulnerability than an asset, Trump listened to his own kin—Don Jr. and Eric—emphasizing again his arrogance.
In the meanwhile, Kamala Harris, with her background as a prosecutor and state attorney general, had a ticking time bomb of liability tied around her. Despite the swirling controversies of the justice system, a former prosecutor is dubious to represent the people’s aspirations, especially when pitted against Trump who has been entangled in numerous legal scuffles over time.
While one may argue that Biden’s decision to relinquish the field before the convention saved Harris from the confrontational primaries, it also sets the stage for an ideal defeat. Thus, Biden indirectly contributed towards making this defeat a realistic possibility. Those who argue that Harris was not selected through the primary voters need not scratch their heads too furiously to understand that, if the Democratic primaries were rehashed today, support for Harris might significantly plummet.
While the notion of the Democratic ticket gaining strength with Harris might bring temporary solace to her supporters, it’s widely known how crucial it is to staunchly defeat the dubious partnership of Trump and Vance. Although political parties reserve the right to nominate their candidate according to their whims, this evasion from the doctrine of primary elections raises serious questions of democratic representation.
Despite the common belief that prime elections encourage people with extreme views and thus pose a threat to democratic society, the irony is that we might end up with more astute candidates when nominations are decided by delegates who aspire to represent their party in the best light. The integrity of our democracy however, truly endures the litmus test come November.