Following President Biden’s unexpected exit from the presidential race, Kamala Harris has swiftly assumed the role of the Democratic standard-bearer for the 2024 election.
Harris’s initial public move was a striking appearance at Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware headquarters, where she launched a strong offensive. Recounting her career, the vice president highlighted her experience prosecuting “predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain.”
In a pointed remark, Harris added with emphasis, “So, hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump’s type.”
When Trump backed out of a scheduled ABC News debate in September, Harris responded with a sharp retort that quickly went viral: “Well, Donald, I hope you’ll reconsider meeting me on the debate stage. Because, as the saying goes, ‘If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.’” The crowd’s enthusiastic reaction was instantaneous.
Kamala Harris is clearly setting the tone for the upcoming three months with each public appearance. Recognizing that successful candidates focus on the electorate and their future, she has incorporated into her campaign a resonant call-and-response line: “We’re not going back.”
Harris’s political acumen didn’t develop overnight. In 2019, she entered the presidential race with some hesitation, despite a promising start. However, her campaign ended prematurely, before any votes were cast.
Over her four years as vice president, however, Harris has sharpened her political instincts. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, she issued a scathing response to the court’s majority: “How dare they?” In the ensuing months of town halls and public forums, her growing confidence became increasingly evident.
A year later, following a tragic school shooting in Tennessee, Harris made another bold move. After the expulsion of two Black state legislators, Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, for advocating for gun control, and the silencing of another, Gloria Johnson, who is white, Harris altered her schedule to address the issue directly. She traveled to Tennessee with minimal preparation and delivered a powerful speech, telling the “Tennessee Three” that their voices deserved to be heard, and concluding with, “We march on.” The crowd’s reaction was electric, marking a defining moment in Harris’s political career.
For the past 17 months, Harris has been diligently advocating for Joe Biden’s reelection, often working behind the scenes. All the while, she has been honing her political strategy to be ready for this moment.
The development of political talent is often a gradual process. During his first congressional campaign in 1946, John F. Kennedy was described by a Boston politician as “not built for politics.” The reserved and hesitant Kennedy eventually transformed into the charismatic leader who announced his presidential candidacy 14 years later.
Similarly, Ronald Reagan spent years delivering speeches for General Electric before he became known as the “great communicator.” His years of practice on the speaking circuit turned him into a political phenomenon who won decisive victories in every general election he contested.
In the same vein, George W. Bush’s political talent was not immediately apparent. During his unsuccessful congressional campaign in 1978, his wife, Laura Bush, criticized his stump speech for its lack of impact, prompting Bush to crash his car into the wall of his house in frustration.
However, by 1994, Bush’s political abilities were undeniable. That year, he delivered a surprising defeat to Texas Governor Anne Richards, a seasoned political figure. Six years later, he was a dominant force in Texas politics, well on his way to securing the presidency.
Donald Trump has never faced an opponent with the raw political talent of Kamala Harris.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton was not known for her political charisma. For much of her life, she had supported her husband Bill Clinton’s political endeavors. When she entered politics herself in 2000, she won a U.S. Senate seat against a relatively weak Republican challenger.
By 2016, Clinton’s distrust of the media had made her a somewhat reserved and cautious public figure. In this regard, she bore similarities to another unsuccessful presidential candidate, Republican Thomas E. Dewey, who lost to Democrat Harry Truman in 1948.
Joe Biden, Trump’s opponent in 2020, campaigned during a period when the country was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional campaigning was largely absent. For the first time in many years, the nation sought a return to normalcy and valued a candidate with substantial government experience. Biden fit this role perfectly.
With Kamala Harris now leading the Democratic ticket, Trump appears unprepared and off-message. His previously strong ability to captivate and hold the public’s attention seems to have diminished.
As Harris remarked in response to Trump’s attacks on her racial heritage, “It was the same old show.” It’s evident that Trump’s political instincts have dulled after four years out of office.
Moreover, Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, offers little in the way of political prowess to help bolster the GOP ticket.
For the first time, Donald Trump is up against a politically talented opponent. Kamala Harris is more than ready to take on Trump and engage in the cutthroat world of politics. It’s clear that Harris is not only aware of her capabilities but is also finding enjoyment in this challenging endeavor.
Donald Trump has never faced anything like this.
