As the elections draw closer, Vice President Kamala Harris faces intensifying pressure to outline how her potential time in the Oval Office would deviate from President Joe Biden’s approach. Despite her assertions that they are two distinct individuals with unique perspectives, she faltered when asked to identify a specific instance where she would’ve made a different decision than Biden. In a bid to seem impartial, she then claimed she would include a Republican in her cabinet.
Almost three months into her surprising candidacy, Harris has largely hinged on her age and life story to differentiate herself from Biden and former president Donald Trump, both of whom are significantly older than her. With the tight race escalating against Trump, it’s becoming evident that Harris needs to reassess her approach, particularly in how she speaks about Biden and how she plans to establish her singular presence should she win the presidency.
Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman to be a major party presidential nominee, tries to frame herself as a symbol of change. This approach seems dated considering she was a mere child when Biden began his Senate career and was studying law when Trump was making waves in real estate with his book, ‘The Art of the Deal’. Her campaign asserts that she encapsulates change yet it seems the method of communicating this is lacking and needs revamping.
Inside sources claim that Harris is devoutly loyal to Biden, never intending to openly criticize his presidency, even though Biden’s approval ratings are subpar. Many question what she should disagree upon with Biden, especially with some parts of his legislative agenda being well-received. These include infrastructure and prescription drug cost intelligence – yet contrarily – it would be imprudent to show any differences with the president on foreign policy, considering the global turmoil. Harris has always been Biden’s ally, and any break now could be construed as opportunistic in the face of the election.
Biden’s public perception hasn’t improved much; roughly 40% of Americans have a somewhat or very favorable view, an unfavorable view is held by 55%, which has been consistent over the past two years. Harris, however, is viewed a tad more positively – with half of the American public holding a favorable opinion of her, and 44% unfavorable. Despite this, her attempts at separating herself from Biden have been unimpressive and hastily adopted by the Biden administration.
Beyond her pledge of including a Republican in her cabinet, Harris has suggested a few policies divergent from Biden’s platform. One such example is advocating for a lesser hike in the capital gains tax compared to Biden. Despite the perceived distinction, these changes are minor, and Biden’s administration has been quick to adopt her stances. However, her inability to pinpoint a decision Biden made that she would change drew criticism from Trump, who subsequently declared such a response as ‘disqualifying’.
A fair number of Harris’s allies insist on her demonstrating more substantial divergences from Biden. One Democratic strategist commented on the current disenchantment with Biden, stating, ‘Biden is an unpopular president in a global anti-incumbent mood.’ Harris needs to convincingly convey to voters a differing perspective, accepting some dissatisfaction in the process to make them more comfortable with her.
Harris’s bid for presidency, notable for being the first vice president in almost a quarter century to attempt to replace a leader of their party, is a careful balancing act. She has aimed to limit appearances with Biden on the campaign trail, sharing only one campaign event together. Despite this, Harris has had to stand beside Biden for urgent occurrences such as hurricanes and Middle East emergencies.
This is reminiscent of the 2000 Democratic nominee, Vice President Al Gore, who cautiously maintained distance from President Bill Clinton amid the former’s high-profile impeachment inquiry tied to his affair with a White House intern and subsequent cover-up attempts. Similarly, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan, aged 78, did not campaign aggressively for vice president George H.W. Bush, who was his eventual successor.
Vice Presidents have historically grappled with distinguishing themselves from incumbent presidents, as pointed out by a Republican strategist. The difficulty of this task might explain why very few have achieved victory. Harris’s attempt to distinguish herself appears to be no exception to this historical trend.
While some Democrats see no pressing need for Harris to diverge from Biden’s policies in a pointed way, others understand the necessity for Harris to project herself as an instrument of change. A Democratic operative stated, ‘There’s no question that the campaign understands the imperative for her to be an agent of change.’
The operative further expounded on the importance of communicating generational change. They suggested that Harris’s election would not only present a contrast to her 78-year-old opponent but would also signal that her entire orientation would be forward-looking. Whether this claimed future-focus can materialize and resonate with voters remains to be seen.