In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential debacle, the already sinking ship of the Democratic Party sprung yet another leak. The Vice President, defeated and desolate, presented her views elbow deep in a pool of platitudes. It’s an interesting sight to witness, Kamala Harris urging the Democrats to ‘stay in the fight for America’s future’ while clearly losing hers.
The election results have caught the Democrats napping like a herd of unsuspecting deer under the looming shadow of the predator. Maybe it’s time for them to wake up and smell the coffee. Caught in the aftermath of a crushing defeat, Kamala Harris urged her Democratic followers to remain relentless which, coming from someone just defeated, seems like the blind leading the blind.
The defeat, evidently, did not sit well with Harris. ‘This is not what we anticipated’, she said, ‘not what we were striving for’. With all due respect, Madam Vice President, that’s politics for you. A brutal game where only the fittest survive. Apparently, the Democratic Party, under your leadership, failed to measure up to these standards.
As she addressed the masses via a pre-Thanksgiving virtual meet, the underlying tone of her speech betrayed a deep-seated despair. ‘I’m proud of our effort, and your role was critical, but we came crashing down anyway’ – rings hollow in the light of the defeat. Funny she should mention pride; it’s almost like applauding a royal mess, isn’t it?
Trying to put a shiny spin on her historic tumble, Harris talked up some of the ‘winning’ aspects of her campaign. She talked about raising nearly $1.5 billion in a mere 107 days – ‘the most in presidential campaign history’. But when your ‘brilliance’ gets you nowhere, you might want to rethink your winning parameters.
The vice president then noted how organizers managed to build a coalition involving first-time voters and those sharing the common goal of empowerment and advocacy of ‘freedom and opportunity’. But what good is piecing together a squad, when none of it translates to victory? It seems like the fight she was talking about didn’t even start, let alone end on Election Day.
One might think that being defeated, she would have taken a moment to reflect, introspect. But not Harris. She seems to be living in an illusion, with her unending optimism. ‘The campaign that you all engaged in will have a lasting effect’, she asserted. Or maybe it’s just the vice president trying to treat a gaping wound with a band-aid.
Something is wrong when Harris calls the fight ‘good work’. Especially considering the fight ended with the Biden-Harris administration packing up their desks for the incoming Trump administration. One might wonder: is this the future she has planned for America?
Even amidst all the denial, some sense of reality sinks in. Harris acknowledged the hopelessness and defeat her supporters are likely feeling during this time. Just as when the people needed leadership, Harris’s speech only revealed the administration’s state of defeat masquerading as encouragement.
Her ‘uncertain times’ reminds one of a ship’s captain admitting the uncertain course while the crew members hold on for dear life. And yet, she rammed this rhetoric down supporters’ throats: to stay hopeful and engaged. Try picking up pieces of a shattered dream while you’re at it.
While acknowledging that things might ‘feel heavy,’ Harris insists on giving assurance – ‘Don’t let anyone take away your power.’ Seems ironic coming from someone who just got stripped of hers. People don’t forget, they witnessed the power Harris had before Nov. 5, and they saw it slip right through her fingers.
She seems to believe that the lost battle hasn’t eradicated their purpose. But losing power is akin to losing direction – you might have the map, but you don’t have the steering wheel. It’s curious, how she attempts to inspire her supporters to pick up the pieces from the aftermath of a comprehensive defeat.
And still, even as the downfall rattles the Democratic cage, Harris stumbles around, peddling messages of strength and participation. ‘You have the same ability to engage and inspire’, she said. Our guess, Harris should take a step back and really look at the rubble that was once their ‘engagement and inspiration’