Back in 2020 when Kamala Harris ended her presidential bid before the primaries even began, many started writing her political obituary. Even after Biden picked her as his running mate, she was considered to be a “token representation” for diversity. When concerns started growing over Biden’s age and cognitive abilities, Harris was often mocked by Republicans with the saying- “A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris.” Today, the same Kamala Harris is giving Republicans and Donald Trump sleepless nights. “I may be the first, but I won’t be the last”. This statement made by Harris as Vice-President elect in 2021 is a stern reminder that America might take time, but it is ready for a female President.
The best way to succeed is to learn from your predecessors. Harris’s campaign is carrying the right momentum after having learned from the mistakes of Biden and Hillary Clinton.
Playing as a Moderate
Joe Biden’s staunch support for Israel through continuous supply of arms and his failure to ensure a ceasefire angered the progressive voter base of the Democrats, especially the youth, who charged him with “genocide”. Even though one may argue that the Gaza crisis is a failure of the Biden-Harris administration in general, it is important to realize that in politics, the person holding the highest office in a country becomes the targeted “face”. Now with Biden gone, the anger is likely to evaporate and voters who initially deserted the Democrats specifically for his hardline pro-Israel policy may eventually return. Moreover, in contrast, Harris has taken calculative political decisions to ensure that the progressive Democrats rally behind her.
Months ago, during her speech in Selma, Alabama she did not hesitate to call for a ceasefire and an end to the suffering in Gaza. Recently, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress to justify Israel’s military aggression, Harris wittingly snubbed the event citing campaign commitments. This was followed by her strong rebuke of Israeli actions in Gaza when Netanyahu met her in the Oval Office. She made it public to the media that she would not remain silent on the suffering of innocents in Gaza. In other words, Harris realises the need to “play it safe” untill November. She knows that absolute opposition to Israel will mark a radical shift from US foreign policy as Israel is one of its oldest and closest allies. It may also irk powerful pro-Israel organizations like AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee), which is responsible for the loss of Palestine sympathizer Jamaal Bowman in the recently concluded Democratic primary of the congressional race in New York’s 16th district. Hence, she cannot chose to side with democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders who have accused Israel of “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing”; a language which is much more harsh and critical.
To strike a balance between the progressive voters and conventional US policy of supporting Israel, Harris is adopting a moderate stance to pacify both sides of the spectrum. This has yielded favourable results for her. The Black Muslim Leadership Council recently endorsed Harris’s presidential bid due to her sympathy towards the people of Gaza. Furthermore, according to a poll conducted by Morning Consult for Bloomberg between July 24 and July 28, Harris leads Trump by 12 points in Michigan; a state where thousands of uncommitted votes were cast against Biden in the primary. Biden was also narrowly trailing Trump in the state before dropping out.
Being an Intersectional Feminist
Recently, American actress and producer America Ferrera, known for her popular monologue on “what it is to be a woman” in Greta Grewig’s Barbie, went live on Instagram to indicate her endorsement of Harris. The Barbie actress encouraged voters along with Harris to protect reproductive freedoms through the power of vote. This was one of the sweetest gestures of women showing support for other women. Similar instances include Harris’s campaign rally in Atlanta being graced by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Beyonce allowing her song “Freedom” to be played as the official campaign song and Melinda French Gates making a political statement for the first time by endorsing Harris for president. In other words, one of the major breakthroughs of Harris’s campaign is that she has been able to transcend racial divisions and form a unified coalition of women voters.
The women’s vote will be decisive to determine who wins the White House, especially in key swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Arizona. While women voters were enthusiastic during Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid in 2016, they arguably took the election for granted. This time it’s different. The overturning of Roe v Wade and concerns over “Project 2025” which allegedly calls for a national abortion ban, have mobilized women to rally energetically behind Harris. This has also happened due to Harris’s constant messaging that the government should not decide about women’s bodies. The nationwide “Reproductive Freedoms Tour” started by Harris from January 22 this year has been a defining moment of her vice presidential career. Comparatively, Biden did not push the abortion agenda enough. Now with a woman at the top of the ticket and that too Harris- the strongest supporter of reproductive freedoms, a lot is likely to change. Moreover, JD Vance has been the biggest asset to the Harris campaign so far. The campaign has got exactly what they wanted- a pair of two White conservative men with extremist views who do not shy away from using sexist slurs. Their recent attacks on Harris’s race and ethnicity may prove to be counterproductive among independents who dislike irrelevant rhetoric and want candidates to discuss their policy ideas.
Finally, Kamala Harris’s people-powered campaign is working on the ground. This is reflected through the rapid increase in donations and funding for her campaign. A record $310 million was raised by her campaign in July alone. Her courtroom experiences of prosecuting criminals are connecting with voters, given the fact that she is up against a candidate who is a convicted felon on 34 counts. Moreover, Taking a leaf out of Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful campaign in 2016, Harris has also been careful to talk not just about guns but also jobs. She is promising an assault weapons ban and universal background checks. However, more importantly, she has made “building the middle-class” and job creation as core objectives of her presidential agenda. If she is able to weave together a coalition of voters including African-Americans, South Asians, youth, women and working classes, there is no reason why she should not be addressed as “Madam President” next year.
Riyan Buragohain is a graduate in English, Political Science and History from Christ University, Bengaluru. He is currently pursuing his Masters in International Relations from Central European University, Vienna. Riyan has written commentaries on US politics for International Policy Digest and Modern Diplomacy. [email protected]
