Harris Gambles Presidential Hopes on Unpopularity Surge
William Henry Harrison ravages the pages of history as the ninth U.S. president, being the last born as a British subject and the inaugural Whig Party member to assume the presidency. His record-breaking inauguration speech spanned approximately two hours, marking the commencement of an incredibly brief stint in office. Throwing in the towel only a month into his term, Harrison became the first sitting president to pass away whilst in office. Notably, Harrison was the last political figure to bounce back from an initial presidential election loss to triumph in the subsequent attempt, a maneuver previously pulled by Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Richard Nixon made a notable comeback as well, but took more time to do so.
The scenario appeared different for Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump, who faced defeat sandwiched by wins. Conversely, candidates who suffered an initial loss and tested the waters again in the following election found themselves sinking once more. Cases in point: Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Thomas Dewey’s political careers included back-to-back presidential loss stains. Henry Clay and William Jennings Bryan repeatedly found themselves on the losing side, suffering thrice consecutively. Evidently, the electorate is averse to back-to-back losers, providing a bleak state of affairs for repeat runners.
Vice President Kamala Harris raised eyebrows last week as she announced she will not be running for governor in California—a decision triggering whispers about a potential return to a presidential race. This speculation comes amidst a backdrop of an increasingly unpopular Democratic Party. The party’s net favorability has plummeted to a staggering negative 30 points, thrice as deep in the hole as the GOP at negative 11 points. This degree of unpopularity is unprecedented in the Democratic Party, unseen in the previous 35 years.
Such dissatisfaction stems from the bitterness of Democrats frustrated at their party’s showing—both from their defeat to Trump and their seeming inability to challenge him presently. However, Harris doesn’t bear full responsibility for this scenario. Rather, she finds herself emblematic of the frustration simmering inside the Democratic ranks. This unhappiness, however, isn’t uniform across the party.
On one hand, progressive Democrats argue the party isn’t putting up enough of a fight. Conversely, for the more moderate Democrats, the problem lies with what the battle is over: they believe the party has veered too far left, embroiling itself with contentious cultural and identity politics. Underlying the divide is a universal longing for victory. Surprisingly, the closest anyone has gotten to this elusive unity was in nominating Harris as a 2024 potential, but her selection seemed rooted more in diversity than suitability for the role.
Joe Biden’s pledge to pick a woman, later clarified as an African American woman, as running mate anchored Harris’ nomination. That said, Harris’ struggles aren’t related to her sex or race per se, but her seeming inability to resonate with the voters and broaden the Democratic coalition. The necessity for a Democratic win doesn’t hinge on increasing turnout among known Democratic voters. Rather, it rests on flipping Trump supporters to their side.
Contrarily, Harris’ defeat was due to her failure to engage with a dynamic electorate, not a lack of Democratic voter turnout. Her public image bore a striking similarity to the stereotypical dean of a boutique liberal arts college. Except on the issue of reproductive rights, her positions often came across as carefully constructed to appease rather than reform. What the voters sought was authenticity, and Harris’s campaign simply did not deliver on that note.
To compound matters, Harris became ensnared in Joe Biden’s insistence that she remain closely allied with him, refusing to establish her own political persona. A prime example of this unwavering alignment was her decision to give her first interview since stepping down on Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show.’ Although Colbert’s committed audience may have devoured her appearance, it fails to encapsulate the demographic necessary for a Democratic victory.
In this light, should the Democrats gamble on Harris once more, she may find her name relegated to the sidelines of historical trivia questionnaires. And the query would certainly not be, ‘Who was the 48th president of the United States?’