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Building trust is challenging and easily damaged. This sentiment is particularly evident in the current Biden White House and, by extension, Vice President Harris’ campaign.
Following a tumultuous July, the Harris campaign only has 93 days to establish a national political operation. The existing trust issues risk overshadowing Vice President Harris’ promising start, especially as her fluctuating policy views come under examination.
Last November, Harris reassured the public that, “not only is he {Biden} absolutely authoritative in rooms around the globe, but in the Oval Office.”
In February, she referred to him as “bold and vibrant.”
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In recent weeks, the American public has discovered that these descriptions do not accurately reflect the commander-in-chief. Voters are often more astute than politicians assume, and this case was no different. The facade crumbled on a debate stage in Atlanta, jeopardizing Biden’s re-election campaign and igniting allegations of a cover-up involving those around him, including his vice president.
Then, just weeks after asserting that only the “Lord Almighty” or a “medical condition” could lead him to withdraw his candidacy, Biden unexpectedly exited, leaving Harris to step in.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted the decision had “nothing to do with his health,” yet Biden’s brief 11-minute address lacked any clarification for his startling shift and his previous commitment to “run this race to the end.”
Vice President Harris cannot claim ignorance. Early in his term, Biden declared she would be the “last person in the room,” granting her the same access he enjoyed during his eight years as vice president under Barack Obama.
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Indeed, a Fox News Digital investigation revealed that there have been at least 80 encounters between Biden and Harris, a figure that only accounts for public meetings; the true number could be significantly higher.
It’s important to note that the election in November will depend on more than just the circumstances surrounding Biden’s withdrawal. Harris faces a difficult challenge as the issues at stake are not substantially better.
Consider the situation at the southern border, where attempts are being made to distance her from the political chaos it has become. In March 2021, an Associated Press headline read, “Biden taps VP Harris to lead response to border challenges.” Since that time, migrant encounters at the border have reached record highs. Immigration even surpassed the economy as voters’ top concern in public polls this past spring.
Currently, the mainstream media is providing cover for Harris, debating the appropriateness of the term “border czar,” labeling it a “misleading term” from Republicans while downplaying her significant responsibility.
The Biden-Harris narrative of framing the election as a “defense of democracy” rings hollow as well. This has been a recurring talking point from the Biden administration, and to be fair, the issue resonated surprisingly well during the 2022 midterm elections, where Democrats outperformed expectations, trailing only the economy in the minds of voters according to exit polls.
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However, this narrative becomes increasingly challenging to maintain when the party nominee is chosen by party insiders without ever appearing on a ballot. Harris did not earn the nomination “from the grassroots, bottom up,” as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer naively claimed.
In contrast, the man who accumulated 14 million primary votes was effectively removed from the White House under pressure from party elites, left-leaning editorial boards, and Hollywood donors.
Harris also faces a resurgence of controversial positions from her unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign: advocating for $10 trillion for climate change initiatives, calling for a fracking ban, co-sponsoring the Green New Deal, and endorsing the elimination of private health insurance. Some of these stances are so unpopular that she is already distancing herself from them.
Before addressing these issues, she should take President Biden’s commitment to “always level with you and tell you the truth” seriously, especially regarding the circumstances of his withdrawal. More importantly, her role in supporting an “elderly man with a poor memory” (as described by Special Counsel Robert Hur) as the leader of the free world is critical.
Harris previously condemned Hur’s description as “gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate.”
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Is it any surprise she has not participated in any interviews or held a press conference since being named the presumptive nominee?
Harris is either mistaken or engaging in politics, and voters have the right to know which it is, although the answer seems evident.
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