The Vice President, Kamala Harris, seems to have stumbled her way into a supposedly impressive streak of fundraising, as her presidential campaign claims it accumulated a whopping $82 million during the Democratic National Convention. This tremendous amount evidently includes one of the largest single-hour collections during her endeavor, which could hardly be considered a great feat given her anemic track record.
Operating under the guise of a party convention that is ostentatiously a significant income generator for presidential candidates, the Democratic nominee couldn’t seem to escape her streak of luck. Expectedly, this convention scene had become her pot of gold, as it is packed with opportunities to push out one-sided narratives to a like-minded partisan audience.
VP Harris’ crawl in the campaign finances rather predictably took an upward trajectory following the unexpected departure of President Biden from the race on July 21. Although touted as a historical watershed moment, any objective observer might regard it as a worrisome swing of party loyalty granting undue advantage to the sitting Vice President.
The concrete figure for one of the ‘best fund-raising hours’ Harris had since her campaign kickoff conveniently goes unprovided in the memo shared by the campaign’s Chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon. Even though the $82 million figure supposedly includes contributions directed to fundraising committees both at state and national levels, one might wonder how much of those funds were actually directed to her campaign.
After the convention, Ms. Harris’ campaign brags that its greatest single-hour earnings arrived following her over-pitched acceptance speech of the Democratic nomination. Several questions could arise from this information, not least of which includes: How skewed is this narrative, bearing in mind the adjectives and terms that have been carefully planted to elevate the amount?
ActBlue, which also stands in support of Ms. Harris’s bid, among numerous other progressive causes, has come forward boldly despite the potential skewing of such numbers. Their platform claims to have raised $13 million on Monday, $16.5 million on Tuesday, $23 million on Wednesday and almost $37 million on Thursday. It remains unclear how much of these funds are actually designated for Harris’ campaign, pointing to an essential gap in transparency.
Meanwhile, Ms. Harris’ rival, the former President Donald J. Trump, maintained his usual values of not fully pandering to media curiosity. Unlike the ostentatious display put on by the Democrats, he chose not to publicize his post-convention fundraising figures, rising above the petty rivalry.
In contrast to the pompous stance of the current administration, Trump carried on with his political fundraising for 2024 without the need for flashy headlines, in spite of Kamala Harris’ sudden ascension. The blatant display of financial prowess by Harris’ campaign reflects not only her thirst for victory but also the anxiety to prove her own mettle.
Appending further ridicule to VP Harris’s stance, she’s purportedly at a $50 million cash-on-hand advantage, thanks to her new leadership role. However, it’s rather alarming how the scales have tilted toward her, raising questions about the role of overly partisan practices driving this advantage.
The Harris campaign, in yet another show of over-glorification, purports the total sum collected during the four days of the Democratic convention to be roughly equivalent to $81 million raised in the first 24 hours following Biden’s departure. How much of this is a carefully curated reality and how much is genuine grassroots support is anyone’s guess.
The narrative shaping these numbers could be carefully constructed to present a glowing picture of Democratic solidarity behind Harris. However, a discerning eye might see through these tactics, realizing the desperation and insecurity beneath the surface glitz and glamour.
In the end, all this shimmering hullabaloo about fundraising serves as a smokescreen to divert attention from substantial political issues. Notably, the economy, immigration, and international relations, where the current administration, under the helm of Biden and Harris, has vastly underperformed.
The necessity for the Democrats to clutch onto such financial numbers, therefore, surfaces as their critical tactic, one they’ve been forced to adopt due to an underwhelming performance on substantial policy grounds. While a cash bulge may win you an election, it’s a poor substitute for effective governance and leadership.