President Joe Biden, grappling with dementia, has finally stepped aside, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place for re-election. This is the breath of fresh air Dems have been aching for. Her opponent: Donald Trump, a figure as polarizing as they come, the source of constant hot air. But he is still viewed as a “non-politician,” an outsider, and, most important given who his new opponent is, a real person.
Harris has a fundamental problem, one that will cost her the election if not resolved: her inability to connect with the electorate.
Trump’s supporters feel a visceral connection to him, seeing in him a reflection of their frustrations and hopes. Harris, on the other hand, remains a cipher, a pastiche, a mystery. To win, she must fill this vacuum with substance and passion, showing the people who she really is and what she stands for.
Trump’s acceptance speech at the GOP convention, despite being widely criticized, revealed the remarkable intimacy he enjoys with his audience. It was warm, family-style, subdued but intense. I found it kind of fascinating, especially the part about almost being killed. He may be a neo-fascist bully, but he speaks with an authenticity that captivates. He lets us in.
The left refuses to acknowledge or even see this quality, and instead derides him as inarticulate and volatile, but that’s missing the point. Trump speaks his mind, unfiltered and raw, a quality that resonates deeply with a swath of voters who enjoy relating to someone they feel is a real human being. They feel they see into him, and he willingly shows them what he sees. That’s what they crave. Their intense dedication comes from that.
Contrast this with Harris, who often leaves her listeners bewildered. Her speeches, more confusing than Hillary Clinton’s, even at her worst, lack clarity and conviction. Hackneyed, patronizing, cloying, it’s not just what she says, but how she says it. It’s like there’s some “in” joke that she’s the only one in on. When she inexplicably starts laughing, as if having some Tourette outburst, many audience members often wonder: What’s so funny? When it’s all over all voters are left questioning not only her positions but whether she truly stands for anything at all.
What another Oakland alumnus, Gertrude Stein, said about the hometown she shares with Harris, “There’s no there there,” could easily be said of Harris herself.
America craves authenticity. Trump, for all his flaws, delivers that in spades. To quote Groucho Marx: “The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” That’s Trump. He brings the proverbial beef, even if it is Trump steaks. Harris must do more than just speak; she must reveal something of her soul (if she has one) or at least something of any kind whatsoever! Say anything real! Without coming out of hiding and risking being seen, her campaign will devolve into a vapid, unsuccessful endeavor.
Of course part of this over-protective paranoia comes from being a woman in a man’s world. It’s not easy to be strong and also open when you’re a girl with the good old boys. But that’s the game, and that’s what’s needed, and that’s what’s missing. Fear of being real and what they can do to you as a result is what sunk Hillary and it will sink Kamala also. But Hillary had some convictions (not many, but still) and she had real policy chops. With Kamala we don’t know.
To win, she’s going to have to show the voters something that she may not have, but she better figure out how to get it. We know what America means to Donald Trump. We have no idea what America means to Kamala Harris.
The electorate needs to know where she stands on critical issues, yes, but mostly as a function of her worldview: the economy, Ukraine, Israel, NATO, immigration, China, domestic policies, all the issues. How will she press for women’s rights and confront the anti-abortion MAGA tide? How will she advocate for court reform and address SCOTUS corruption? How will she handle the controversies surrounding DEI, woke culture, and gender issues? We want these answers not just as answers to policy questions but as reflections of her own individual perspective.
Harris must offer a vision of America that is compelling and clear. We need to know what that vision is, and quickly. Not just what she’s against but what she’s for. The stakes are high, and Trumpers are going to regroup quickly and begin an ugly harassment campaign. They will be defining Harris viciously. Therefore her path to victory demands more than just rhetoric; it demands a connection with the American people, which requires a well defined person with whom they can connect. Will Kamala Harris rise to the occasion and show us who she is?
