Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 presidential elections has left her party scrambling for explanations. Senator Bernie Sanders believes he might have insight into her defeat to Trump, as he shared his views during his ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour in London.
According to a HuffPost report, Sanders opined that pinning Harris’s failure on Joe Biden’s late exit from the campaign was incorrect. He instead posited, ‘By my estimation, this was a race that should’ve been easily won.’
Sanders strongly criticized Harris and the Democrats for failing to address the concerns of the working class during their campaign. Instead, their efforts seemed more focused on rubbing shoulders with billionaires, as well as famed Republicans like Liz Cheney who took stands against Trump.
In Sanders’ words, ‘It seemed Harris’s company of choice was Liz Cheney more so than anyone else. What sort of message does this send to the struggling masses?’ This was a clear indication of a campaign away from the people’s needs.
According to Sanders, Harris’ focus should have been more policy-oriented rather than relying on political optics. However, it appeared Harris’s broader support base wasn’t substantial enough to secure the essential votes to win the national election.
The 2024 elections saw a dip in voters compared to 2020 – four million fewer, to be precise. A staggering number of 89 million registered voters refrained from casting their votes, which surpassed the total votes either of the candidates received.
While Harris’ messaging failed to connect with the voters, Trump skillfully leveraged fear and resentment to resonate with a significant portion of the populace. The apparent pivot to pandering rather than policy-propelled Harris’s campaign further away from victory.
Harris’ initial run pegged her as too radical, and her subsequent run was constrained by staid political conventions, primarily due to running against an incumbency which she served under. The influential donor lobby further curtailed her political latitude.
The dearth of outstanding candidates for the Vice-President role who could sway public opinion in Harris’ favor ultimately added to the unsuccessful run. All said, the ultimate inability to pull through has left us grappling with a Trump presidency, a burden that seems heavier than ever before.
The Democrats led a lackluster campaign against Trump, one that could arguably be termed as the worst in recent history. Harris’ stint as Vice President was rife with signs of her unsuitability as a candidate, which she continued to substantiate during her presidential run.
Unfortunately, it seems that the Democratic Party is yet to learn their lesson from this debacle. Harris’ campaign exuded an energy more akin to glossy television instead of a serious and professional electoral run.
While one might argue about Harris’ missteps during her campaign, the overall impression points to a presentation not fitting for a presidential candidate. The general public would’ve preferred less showmanship and more gravity to her political discourse.
Despite these issues, the campaign ran its course, with people casting their votes as they saw fit. Nonetheless, it seemed that the overall public sentiment leaned more towards apathy than approval.
While Bernie Sanders contended that establishment Democrats need a major revamp in their thinking, it appears as though they’re yet to cut ties with the existing consulting and polling teams that led them to their current approval rating of 25%.
The odds were stacked high against Kamala Harris – a candidacy that lasted for only 100 days against a candidate that had been in the running since 2015. That said, the shortcomings in her campaign and the choices made thereafter were glaring and impossible to ignore.
Bernie Sanders hit the nail on the head with his analyses of the ordeal. But would the message be heard, and more importantly, acted upon for the future of Democratic politics?