The once unspoken concerns over Joe Biden’s growing years and the challenge this might pose should he choose to pursue the presidency again in 2024 have now become public discourse. This sparks focus on another emerging predicament for the Democrats. The only alternative seems to be an immensely unpopular figure who even manages to make Biden appear like a potential electoral colossus. One can hardly blame Democrats for contemplating a situation where it’s just Kamala Harris between them and the resurgence of Donald Trump, and trying to reassure themselves, ‘Maybe 80 could be the new 75?’, or ‘Biden’s habitual faux pas aren’t anything new, a few more won’t hurt.’, or ‘Biden stayed safely out of sight during the 2020 campaign, surely, he can replicate that in 2024.’
Kamala Harris serves as the best justification for Democrats desperately clinging onto Biden regardless of his circumstances. She’s viewed as a political abyss, with her plummeting approval ratings indicating not only Biden’s difficulties but also her own inherent limitations as a political entity. A comparison with Chuck Schumer, another Democratic leader from a staunchly Democratic state, is enlightening. Schumer recently came through a challenging statewide battle against a Republican and recognizes that not all voters align with extreme ‘woke’ ideology.
Harris consistently found herself on the back foot surrounding her tenure as a prosecutor, an element of her career that was drastically attacked from the left, especially by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Her perceived signature move – criticizing Joe Biden for his resistance to busing based on personal experience – failed to deliver the anticipated results due to the transparent ulterior motives involved. Harris often presents as a politician who seems overly rehearsed, voicing scripted lines.
Harris’ laughter, a frequently discussed point among critics, typically comes across as contrived and overcalculated, verging on being out of place at times. In the unpredictable world of politics, being comfortable and authentic when striving for the ultimate power is a significant asset. Past presidents, like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, exuded this natural charm effortlessly. Harris, however, has so far demonstrated no such capability nor does it seem that she will be able to develop it.
Harris falls short in firmly establishing herself in any particular policy area and seems more focused on manipulating optics to supposedly enhance her political attractiveness, though without much success. Any measured observer could have inferred that Biden’s choice of a vice presidential candidate was going to be critically assessed, considering the likelihood of his advanced age becoming a political liability, echoing de Gaulle’s infamous quote, ‘Old age is a shipwreck.’
Spectators of the political theater have not overlooked the fact that Biden’s lapses aren’t novel but an integral part of his political persona. Yet, enduring a few more errors might seem more palatable to some, compared to having Harris in the spotlight. Positioning Biden as a better bet despite his age explicitly signals the extent of discomfort surrounding the possibility of Harris as the face of the party.
The political future of the Democrats seems stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place: a politically aging Biden on one hand, and the widely disliked Harris on the other. Their only hope appears to be to prop up Biden, given Harris’s deeply flawed political persona reflected not least in her pitiful approval ratings.
While Biden certainly has his moments of gaffes and missteps, the Democrats seem convinced that he is still a better choice than Harris. She stands as a politico who seems always poised but concurrently completely disconnected from what she’s saying or doing. Her signature moves have fallen flat, and her defenses regarding her track record have been deeply unsatisfactory.
Harris notably lacks a specific policy area where she can claim expertise, which has only contributed to the perception of her being an ineffective political figure. Meanwhile, the Democratic party hopes Biden can continue to campaign as he has in the past, from the safety of seclusion, thereby negating any issues that come with his advanced age.
Yet, there is a clear and prevalent sense of unease amongst Democrats. Harris, with her haunted laughter and seemingly contrived sincerity, hardly inspires confidence. She fails to nail down any specific area of policy, seemingly more concerned with presenting the right image than with homing in on any one issue that might bolster her standing.
The reality faced by Democrats challenges them to re-evaluate their desperation to keep Biden in the game. This need arise from veiled indications about Biden’s age, and most evidently from the political clumsiness and unpopularity synonymous with Harris. It’s a dilemma between sustaining the almost reassuring predictability of Biden’s gaffes or risking the spectacle of Harris’s political inadequacy.
In response to the bludgeoned legacy of the past and the weakening approval ratings of the present, Biden’s resilience often prevails over Harris’s apathetic political persona. The latter’s shallow attempt at maneuvering optics to her favor or lack of ownership in any policy area only punctuates the already dire situation.
In this web of political manoeuvring, there’s an increasing realization among Democrats that Harris is simply not capable of taking the helm, given her severe lack of authentic interaction and poor political performance. Elitist progressives may continue supporting her, but many voters remain skeptical.
The evidence points to the troubled dynamics within the Democratic leadership, driven by the tension between Biden’s age and Harris’s comparative political incompetence. Yet, as Democrats grapple with this tough choice, the looming prospect of a possible Trump resurgence has forced a tenuous truce, leading them to hold onto Biden despite his advancing years.
In this spotlight, Harris’s falling popularity and apparent political inadequacies place an enormous burden on the Democratic party. Biden’s miscues might have deepened over time, but the thought of Harris as a prospective leader sends chills through many, leaving them clinging to Biden in hope rather than any grand confidence.