Last week, the defeated Vice President Kamala Harris made her initial public address post-concession via a virtual call. She optimistically painted a picture of a lost cause, pushing the narrative to her supporters to stay engaged and to keep faith in shared principles. It’s worth noting the so-called ‘fight’ for their objectives failed to end at the voting booth. Stressing on empowerment and the work that went into the campaign, she said, ‘Don’t let anybody snatch your power from you.’, attempting to bolster the morale of her disappointed acolytes.
In this gloomy scenario, Harris had found solidarity in her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Both stood at the helm of this sinking ship, acknowledging the bitter taste of their catastrophic defeat. Though they claimed to have run a campaign characterized by hope and positivity, the outcome casts a somber shadow. ‘We were running for something,’ said Walz, the irony in his words clearly evident.
The grim shade of the election loss had left them baffled, as they got routed in key swing states, losing comprehensively to former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. The unambiguous voice of the masses serviced the GOP to bag hard-fought victories both in the Electoral College and the popular vote.
Notably, a certain sense of naivety clouded Harris’ speech. Despite the stark results, she remained eerily optimistic. She hammered on about the supposed uncertainty of the times while urging people to keep going, and wished her followers a good Thanksgiving. One could only imagine this was an awkward attempt at rallying the disappointed ranks.
Former California Senator Harris seized the reins from President Joe Biden, becoming the Democrats’ poster child in July. The campaign she took over was already awash in confusion, plagued by concerns over Biden’s advancing age and his declining performance at debates. This worry took center stage following a particular debate against Trump in June, which forced Biden into the shadows and ushered Harris into the limelight.
Harris, however, could not keep the wind in her sails. Although she commenced her journey with enthusiasm, getting backing from numerous high-profile Democrats, promising start soon diminished. Many liberal elites who had expressed their support by way of enthusiastic performances or passionate speeches at her rallies could not prevent the inevitable.
Towards the end, Harris’ campaign began to reveal its cracks. The hopes of a revival dwindled as her message started losing traction with the voting public. Voters showed they sought real solutions to pressing problems such as the economy and immigration, over Harris’ constant criticism of Trump as a supposed danger to democracy.