Controversial film director, Michael Moore, has been making speculative statements concerning the forthcoming debate between President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. In a piece published by The Guardian, Moore implied that Trump could face difficulties when confronted with Harris – an assertion based on what appears to be Moore’s wishful thinking.
While Moore seems to believe that the way to pierce Trump’s armor is through Harris, one can’t help but feel this betrays an over-reliance on potential personal attacks. Moore’s idea hinges around pushing Trump till he behaves in a way unseemly for a President. Whilst it is difficult to predict human behavior, it is even more outlandish to pin electoral hopes on it.
Moore also suggested that the Democratic campaign tactic of mocking Trump has been surprisingly successful. But, it appears that he forgets that politics should be a battle of policies and not a comedy show. The notion that sarcasm, humor, and mockery could undermine someone’s political standing seems juvenile at best and destructive at worst.
Yet, it seems the Democrats are bent on sticking to this trivial tactic. Moore advocates for irony, satire, and a simplified approach to spotlight the ‘perceived’ ridiculousness of Trump’s standpoints. Again, Moore’s strategy sounds less like a political campaign strategy and more like a script for a sitcom.
Apparently, he believes that by making Trump out to be an idiot, they can successfully sideline the real issues. Moore firmly suggests that the Democrats should focus on subjects such as the availability of affordable housing and environmental threats – but aren’t these the issues that have been mishandled under Democratic leadership time and again?
He also stressed the importance of international affairs – with a specific mention of Israel’s conflict in Gaza. This statement, like the rest of his stance, seems to fall into the typical script of the Left, using international incidents as a leverage for local political gains.
Moore’s enthusiasm for the Democrats seems unabated even when it comes to Harris. Despite clear indications that her popularity is waning and she is becoming a liability for Biden, Moore remains bullish. The filmmaker seems to suggest that unless Harris gets implicated for Biden’s botched policies, she stands a good chance this election.
Harris and Trump’s debate will take place on ABC News in September. While Moore seems to be over-optimistic about Harris’s performance, political pundits aren’t. It remains to be seen how she will perform and whether she will be a match for Trump or crumble under pressure.
It’s interesting to notice that those like Moore still passionately hope for the success of Democratic representatives who have failed to deliver on numerous counts. Harris has a history of faltering under pressure and has been inconsistent in her political positions, a fact that will likely be highlighted in her upcoming debate.
Strikingly, Moore fails to handle the elephant in the room – Biden’s less than popular policies and their impact on the Democratic Party. Instead, he is preoccupied with petty gimmicks and personal attacks, both of which are unlikely to translate into any substantive electoral dividends for the Democrats.
In conclusion, if Democrats are serious about challenging Trump and his administration, they have a long way to go. Relying on personal attacks and pursuing shallow campaign strategies, as recommended by Moore, isn’t the way forward. Policy, not personality contests, will – and should – determine the election outcome.
Therefore, while Moore’s viewpoints make for entertaining reading, they ultimately offer little substance. The path to Democratic victory isn’t built upon infantilizing the President or uncritically heralding their own representatives, it’s in providing the American public with more compelling, policy-focused arguments, – something they have consistently failed to do so far.
As the debate approaches, it will be interesting to see how the Democrats will perform, particularly considering their current standing in public opinion polls. Their reliance on the accusations and theatrics suggested by Moore demonstrate an inability to engage in substantive, policy-based discussions.
Ultimately, the upcoming debate will serve as an important litmus test for both Harris and the Democratic leadership at large. Unfortunately, the overemphasis on personal character, as exemplified by Moore’s comments, rather than policy might just steer the Democrats further away from their intended goal.
As the debate unfolds in September, spectators will be watching with bated breath: will the Democrats continue down their current path of personal attacks and ridicule? Or will they finally muster the courage to engage in thoughtful, policy-based discussion, and show the American public they are capable of more than just mindless mudslinging?