August 13, 2024
On avoiding the press (aka, Playing the Short Game Versus the Long Game, Part 2...)
Yesterday, I said today’s link would deal with Vice President Harris’ avoidance of the press and it does. It also deals with a lot more than that. The featured author is trying to get a handle on our current moment by not forgetting what’s come before. That means remembering (a) the Biden-Harris campaign was, at best, dishonest with the American people about the president’s condition before and after the debate, (b) prior to ascending to the nomination, the southern border was on Harris’ docket of responsibilities and calling her a “czar,” whether that was her official title or not, wasn’t controversial, (c) Harris previously subscribed to numerous progressive policies and stances (banning fracking, supporting Medicare For All, promoting a legal aid fund for rioters arrested during the George Floyd protests) that she now says she’s disavowed without any concrete evidence, and (d) at least for her first two years in office, Harris was considered a liability by the Biden White House because of poor interviews and stories of a hostile, mismanaged Vice President’s office leaked by her own staff.
How does all this square with what we’re hearing about Kamala Harris now? Or does it? Today’s author doesn’t believe it does. Though it might be tempting for some to dismiss him (don’t give up when starts talking about Soviet Russia; I nearly did until he acknowledged the comparison isn’t exact), his points are worth hearing. They’re the same points millions of swing voters are going to be hearing until Election Day, and Harris ought to have an answer for them. If she doesn’t, if she continues to dodge the press, what reason do swing voters have to trust her? It’s a fair question, and one the vice president might want to have an answer for as well.
(Today’s column is paywalled. I apologize. This will be the last for a while, I promise, but a considerable portion of it is still available to read for free and it is very much worth your time.)