Dense C U next Tuesday
2023-05-02 06:21:28 UTC
Open the doors on AF2 over the ocean. Cut her seatbelt.
Senator Elizabeth Warren gave a telling interview earlier this week.
First, when asked whether Joe Biden should run for re-election in 2024,
Warren responded with an enthusiastic yes. But when asked if Biden should
pick Kamala Harris again as his vice-president, Warren deflected and
refused to say whether Harris should be on the Democratic ticket.
This might seem inconsequential, but its not. Warren is one of the most
powerful politicians in the Democratic Party, and her comment is part of a
broader trend of Democrats publicly expressing doubts about Harris. A
Washington Post article published on Monday included comments from over a
dozen Democratic leaders and activists who are disappointed with Harriss
tenure as vice president and see her as a political and electoral
liability.
Its good that Democrats are finally coming to this realisation and are
confident enough to say so publicly, because Harris is indeed political
deadweight. The problem is that this realisation has come far too late. If
this scepticism had been aired publicly a year or two ago, then Biden
could have begun laying the groundwork to select a different running mate.
But this late into the game, Biden has no realistic option other than to
choose Harris again as his second-in-command. Dropping her from the ticket
would bring intense backlash from corners of the party that would see it
as a snub to the first black female vice-president. That is a political
risk that Biden, an old white man at the head of a party thats
increasingly obsessed with identity, cannot afford.
The fundamental problem for Democrats is that Biden turns 81 this year and
would be 82 by the time of his second inauguration. Its entirely possible
that he might face a health crisis midway through the campaign or during
his second term, and Harris would have to fill in for him on the campaign
trail or in the White House. Such a situation would likely spell disaster
for the Democrats. Harriss 2020 presidential run was a mess, and shes
accomplished little in the White House other than occasionally going viral
for embarrassing interviews or public appearances. Nothing suggests that
Harris would suddenly become competent were she to get a promotion.
In other words, Democrats sleepwalked into making Harris the heir to
Bidens presidency because they were reluctant to publicly acknowledge her
many flaws. And while some within the party are finally beginning to speak
up, its too late to make any difference. Seeing this unfold has been like
watching an oil tanker slowly heading for an iceberg. And only when the
ship is just about to crash does the crew finally realise what is
happening and try to change course.
If theres any silver lining for Democrats, its that the party may learn
a valuable lesson: in the long run, treating politicians with kid gloves
is unwise. Because when its taboo to criticise your partys top brass,
then flawed politicians like Harris are able to climb their way into
leadership positions. And by the time everyone else realises whats
happening and finds the nerve to speak up, its too late.
Comments:
polidori redux
2 months ago
Amateurs. We can dump three PMs in a year.
<https://unherd.com/thepost/its-too-late-for-the-democrats-to-ditch-
kamala-harris/>