How do seasoned radicals elect a mediocre far-left presidential candidate?

This task may seem impossible at first.

Kamala Harris is currently the incumbent, radical Vice President, having served for over three years under an unprecedentedly hated Democratic president, his failed policies, and his unpopular record.

Harris herself has toed a far-left course throughout her career, while proudly boasting to left-leaning audiences that she is “woke” and a “radical.”

The biggest obstacle to Harris's recovery has been the reluctance of the long-established Democratic Party to remove a weakened President Joe Biden from the Democratic ticket.

why?

That's because Harris was seen as a huge liability, a Spiro Agnew-like insurance policy for a failing Biden.

Until recently, Democrats considered an unpopular and weakened Biden far preferable to a running mate like Harris, who they deemed incoherent, shallow and widely derided.

After all, she has never run in a presidential primary, never won a single delegate on the ballot, and was a disastrously defeated candidate in the 2020 election.

And she is co-owner of an even more unpopular president's unpopular record.

Harris' complete makeover requires strict adherence to 15 sweeping rules.

1. Remake Harris with a brand new, bright face. Harris is all about joy and vibes, which take precedence over policy statements and policy pronouncements. Throw out any notion that she is the sitting VP and co-owner of the final four years of the Biden administration.

2. VP Harris ignores/denies the fact that she could have implemented new reforms a long time ago, or could have done so right now with the remaining 5 months of her Administration. She was the last person out of the room when Biden made a terrible decision.

3. Reimagine Harris as a moderate for the next 70 days. Copy many of Donald Trump’s current, more popular policies. Have Harris claim them as her own. Reimagine her as a border hardliner, China hardliner, defense hardliner, budget hardliner, and law and order hardliner.

4. Harris, who has a way with words, should never give unscripted media interviews, live town hall meetings, impromptu chats, ambush hot mics or lectures without a teleprompter.

5. Harris must not make any policy proposals, such as outlandish price controls, that deviate from her new centrist image and teleprompted script over the course of 70 days.

6. Don't mention Biden at all. Harris should not be allowed to appear in any photos or events with Biden. Create a vaguely joyous but completely fictitious “Harris record.” Separate it from the disastrous Biden-Harris Administration. Leak that she was unhappy with Biden.

7. They continue to call Trump a gangster, a criminal, an insurrectionist, and a dictator, without ever providing any evidence to support these accusations, and when challenged, they continue to call him even worse.

8. Talk about abortion incessantly, but never mention the word. Rebrand abortion as a “reproductive right.” Falsely re-create Trump as a radical anti-abortion advocate who calls for a federal ban.

9. Follow Biden's successful “basement” strategy in 2020: avoid public attention, stay silent on issues, count on 70% of votes not being cast on Election Day, and outsource the campaign to Fusion Media and the billionaire class.

10. Lecture endlessly about race and gender. Define the election as a clear dichotomy between oppressed but active “young” black women and oppressive, racist old white men.

11. Reframe Harris’ (the child of two PhD parents) “journey” and life “story” as a bitter, lifelong struggle with poverty, systemic racism, and greedy “billionaires” like Trump. Harris has always been from Oakland, never Berkeley.

12. Talk nonstop about transparency. Pretend you're willing to do 3 or 4 debates, but agree to only do 1, and only with left-leaning networks. Promise endless interviews and town hall meetings. Start discussing them, but constantly procrastinate, stonewall and dodge for the next 10 weeks.

13. Meet privately multiple times with the ultra-wealthy donor class that helped remove Biden, convince the Wall Street, Hollywood and Silicon Valley powerbrokers who talk about wealth taxes, taxes on unearned income and higher corporate taxes that it's just campaign staging, and again outfund the Trumps 3 to 1.

14. Privately assure left-wing activists and Democratic politicians that this is only a temporary and necessary 70-day excuse to back away from lifelong support for left-wing causes, and instead focus on what Harris actually does after November 5th, not what she has to say before then.

15. Control and coordinate the streets. The anti-Trump protests are a legitimate “movement” that “will not stop, and should not stop.” Violent anti-Trump demonstrators should be released immediately.

All anti-Democrat and anti-Harris protests should be prevented, with a large and aggressive police presence, barricades and ample backup, and as many arrests as possible. Protest leaders should be given private concessions and incentives to calm their subordinates.

Victor Davis Hanson is a distinguished fellow at the Center for American Greatness. He is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of World War II: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won, published by Basic Books. He can be contacted at authorvdh@gmail.com.

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