Harris and Walz’s Showy Tactics Stun: Politics or Pop Concerts?

It appears that the mighty Democratic party has stooped to the level of subjecting former President Donald Trump to mockery. Priorities seemed to have shifted from upholding intellectual interactions with hard-hitting journalists to launching jibes. Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz are spearheading these grand shows of bravado in battleground states — an apparent attempt to portray a fanciful image of superiority. But beneath all the veneer, the reality of their offense seems more about defiant spectacle than generating fruitful dialogue.

The introduction of Harris and Walz at these rallies is eerily similar to pop culture concerts, specifically reminiscent of those organized by pop sensation Taylor Swift. This flashy grandstand in the form of light-up wristbands distributed among the attendees is far removed from the solemn seriousness that ought to accompany the political sphere. It makes one wonder if they are more interested in the celebrity culture than leading a robust political campaign.

Suddenly, the Democrats seem excited with this new strategy of shifting focus from President Biden to highlight Harris and Walz more and more. Their ostensible hope is to deflect attention from a possible referendum on Biden, which appears to make them uncomfortable. Instead, they wish to present the voters with a dilemma — walk into an uncertain future under Harris’s leadership or return to the Trump era, inducing a false narrative of regression.

Crowds at the vice president’s rallies have been heard echoing her refrain, ‘We’re not going back.’ There seems to be a prevalent belief among the Democrats that they can navigate the political waters better while riding on the wave of their self-perceived upper hand with Ms. Harris. However, the caution of her and Mr. Walz’s ‘underdog’ status against Trump raises some doubts in the mind about their true confidence levels.

It’s interesting to note, Ms. Harris appears to emanate a winning vibe, promising she has brought Biden’s sinking polls afloat again. The polling data now shows her taking a lead over Trump, and she is also ahead in swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Whether this lead is a result of her charisma, or a temporary diversion in people’s attention, only time will tell.

Trump has retaliated to the tide of this change in political scene with a call for three debates. A move which Democrats have considered an indication of fear. Is it fear, or is Trump trying to bring back political dignity by focusing on issues and debates rather than theatrics?

Yet another approach taken by the Democrats is to taunt Trump and other political opponents. Governor Walz especially, seems to have made a hobby out of name-calling, labeling Trump ‘weird’ repeatedly during his speeches.

By evolving their political narrative into relentless mockery of their opponents, Democrats seem to be moving farther away from real political discourse. Harris joined this crass bandwagon during a rally in Atlanta as well, where she sought to provoke Trump, challenging him to face her on the debate stage.

From the outside, the Democratic campaign seems to be avoiding any hard questions. Despite the success in terms of crowds at the rallies and financial influx, Harris has evaded any formal media interview so far. After all, dealing with the media hasn’t always been her strong suit, and any slip-ups could devalue her carefully curated image as the Democratic nominee.

Moreover, Harris’s campaign is yet to articulate a clear policy agenda, and the absence of any such information on her website is telling. One can’t but wonder if the avoidance, along with the silence on key policy matters, is an intentional strategy. Their intentions, however, seem threatened by Trump’s criticism of such evasion.

Harris’s responses to media inquiries remained vague. She assured the reporters about contemplating a sit-down interview, but didn’t specify any timeline, hinting it may not occur soon. Is it a smart tactic to keep the media and the public at arm’s length, or is it reflective of the Democratic party’s evasion of accountability?

The recent transformation of campaign tactics reflects an effusion of years-long Democratic wrath and frustration. Their campaigns have historically lacked enthusiastic participation, from Obama’s second term to Clinton’s lackluster bid in 2016, and Biden’s dismal, COVID-marred run in 2020.

Suddenly, with Harris taking the reins, there’s a burst of enthusiasm in the Democratic sphere that comes off as overpowering and devoid of substantial political content. With the incorporation of extravagant additions, such as drumlines and hipster bands at rallies, it’s evident that the Democrats are trying to correlate political campaigning with a pop culture spectacle. Despite these ostentatious displays, the crucial question remains — are the Democrats’ actions the right step toward responsible governance or are they diluting the dignity of political campaigns?