Thoughts on the “new” Kamala Harris and her bid for the presidency:

I. Reinvention

Kamala 2.0 has been in play for about 11 weeks now. In at least one major respect, it has proven to be a notable success.

Of course, I'm referring to the “Twilight Zone”-style remake of the current vice president, which caused the American public to forget/ignore/neglect Harris' 20+ year career as a prosecutor and U.S. senator. This is a process that we have been told to fix. , the second most powerful person in the world. Needless to say, she eschews even the most basic expectation that candidates answer questions about their policies.

The seemingly overnight attempt to brand a new political identity (and right under your nose) is as risky as it is bold. The former is because it requires considerable effort in performing resuscitation of a candidate who is essentially weak and perhaps uniquely inconsistent. (Remember, Harris was the first Democrat to drop out of the 2020 presidential primary, just three months ago.) suffered from worst vice president poll numbers The latter because the actual policy provisions are what she is trying to impose on the country (green new dealmass immigration, price controls, taxes on unrealized income, taxpayer-funded taxation. health care (illegal immigrants, biological males in women's sports, etc.) remain largely outside the cultural mainstream. (Related: Bob Ehrlich: Harris will move closer to Biden)

II.Base

I (mostly) admire the Democratic base for its widespread acceptance of reinvention. In fact, there is a level of political sophistication here that the Republican base has never enjoyed. That is, progressives quietly understand and accept that Harris' sudden tilt to the center is necessary because her actual record (reflected above) continues to be impossible on America's elevated roads. Masu. How do we know this? Well, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a widely known leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, just recently said the quiet part out loud on NBC News. Exact quote: [Harris] “We're doing what we think is right to win elections.'' Even the movement's leaders recognize an important fact here: genuine Harris never played in Peoria or Pittsburgh.

III. shameless media

None of the aforementioned policies can be resolved without the active participation of a large, single-party media and political system. In other words, it is the usual self-styled rulers of the world (traditional networks – public radio and television – MSNBC – CNN – New York Times – Washington Post) who are doing everything in their power to promote Harris as a mainstream center. It's not just that. /Left-wing Democrats stuck in the same mold. senator Joe Biden of Delaware. Add to that a group of Bush-era Republican anti-Trumpers (including a former US Republican vice president) who continue to claim the “conservative” moniker while supporting California progressives who went too far just four years ago. Can be done. He left for the Democratic Party.

Either way, the second thoughts, fabrications, lies, revisionism, and winks and nods that have characterized her campaign will continue inexorably until the clock strikes November 5, 2024 at 8:00 PM Pacific Time. That's definitely true. (Related: Bob Ehrlich: On That 'Protecting Democracy')

Still, given the sheer scope of the exercise, it is unlikely to be successfully completed. You see, the establishment's narrative of “Amtrak Joe” — “Grandpa Joe” — just plain old liberal Joe (but by no means progressive Joe) was pretty accurate for the time. Not so much California progressives. Voters remember her poor approval ratings in the spring. They also believe that the Biden-Harris administration has destroyed our borders, our economy, and our standing in the world. And no amount of parallel universe dreams Rod Sterling (ask your parents if you're under 40) will help you with this anticlimactic makeover.

Bob Ehrlich is a former Maryland governor, congressman, and state representative. He is the author of five books on American politics, as well as opinion pieces published in major American newspapers and periodicals. He and his wife, Kendel, can be heard on their weekly podcast, “Bottom Line with Bob & Kendel Ehrlich.”

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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