How Kamala Became a Better Candidate

She's Improved Tremendously since 2019. Here's how.

To be fair, I didn’t think Kamala Harris should have been picked for the V.P. slot back in 2020. She was a bit awkward and offputting to independents on the campaign trail, she didn’t bring a state Democrats needed to the table and I thought there were better polished alternatives available. She didn’t even make it to the first primary, dropping out three months before the Iowa Caucuses. I thought Harris would be better served staying in the limelight as a Senator, which requires different skills sets she clearly demonstrates repeatedly, and that by doing so her campaign skills would improve so that the next time an open Presidential Primary came along she would be much better at it. Vice Presidents, for a whole host of reasons, seldom look good trying to succeed an incumbent President.

But she was chosen, endured that four years of mediocrity that goes with being a Vice President and was in the right place at the right time to step in when Biden stepped down. The party immediately aligned behind her and she became the nominee. In the month that she has been front and center as the Democratic Presidential nominee, she’s shown to be much better in her demeanor, stump speech, impromptu press gaggles and general campaign skills than previously. As we head into the Democratic National Convention, it’s good to reflect on the reasons for her success in this regard

She’s moderated her tone. The difference between a primary and a general election is that in the primary you have to appeal to more partisan and fringe activists that propel you in early states and in general elections you have to pivot to the center. As Harris did not have to compete in a competitive primary, she’s free to take a more moderate position and sound more like the adult in the room. She’s not bound by promises made to legions of liberal supporters back in Iowa and New Hampshire, she’s able to sound practical, smart and sensible. This comes across often in her stump speeches where she talks hard about various issues, but is vague on policy specifics. In fact, her campaign website is lacking in a lot of policy specifics; there’s no need for them and they won’t help.¹ And what are Trump and Vance trying to attack her on? Liberal policy proposals she mentioned while trying to run in 2019 for the primaries.

She has smart Biden people on the campaign. One of the reasons for her implosion in 2019 is that her campaign staff and online supporters could occassionally become toxic and ideologically rigid. Harris is not known as being a good manager and some of the people she elevated to key positions were loud, antagonizing and offensive to everyone but those already converted to her side. This time around, she inherited a Biden Campaign with smart, politically adept, savvy managers and an organization built on competency and experience. They’ve been to this rodeo before, know what works and what should be avoided. Harris still has some of her staff from that previous campaign around, but they’re corralled by the people who know better. Biden staffers are keeping those ideologues with the worst political impulses away from key speeches and decisions and it shows. The online presence is far less toxic than it was in 2019. In fact, it’s positive, supportive, thoughtful and optimistic. That’s how you win a campaign.

She’s Wisely Avoided “The Firsts.” To many on the left, her appeal comes from the precedential nature of her campaign; she would be the first female President, the first Indian-American President and only the second African American President. What all these have in common is that they are demographic descriptions that have the potential to divide in a culture campaign. It’s why Trump and Vance have been clumsily poking at her calling into question her identity bona fides (note to Republicans, this makes you look stupid) and name calling her, Kamabla (which is insulting to everyone). Harris has smartly avoided this bait altogether and deflected, pivoting to topline issues and talking points. This, plus adding a positive masculine role model in the VP slot, have seen her numbers among the demographic she needs, white male voters, skyrocket. It’s not like anyone is going to forget she’s black-Indian and female, but to most voters, it’s the content of her character that counts and she demonstrates exactly what they want to see when she moves past this issue. This is how Obama won and its a template for Kamala as well.

Her talents have improved. She’s still a little awkward in small crowds outside of her element, but as the nominee there are much less of those she’ll have to endure. She’s developed those elevated skills in big speeches and donor crowds that make people feel they are a part of the campaign; at times she has looked almost Obama-esque in the way she can speak to the masses. She’s ditched the righteous indignation and pontificating of a primary candidate trying to sound clever, and moved to a more pragmatic, management based position when talking. The manner of her speech comes across now less like someone trying to have their voice heard and more like someone at the top of an organizational pyramid keeping the faithful aligned. In short, she’s sounding much more like a President than a Senator. Over the past four years, she’s honed those speaking skills and is demonstrating real quality and a huge improvement.

She’s having fun. The timing could not have worked out better for her. Biden stepped aside right after the RNC. That gave her a week before the Olympics, two weeks during the Olympics (which would include her VP pick of Tim Walz) and a week after the Olympics before the DNC, where she makes her case for election to the nation. In that time, she’s raised an ungodly amount of money, just by entering the race. The grassroots Democratic organizations are energized and thrilled. Trump has largely been silent and off the campaign trail unable to land a punch. All the news coming out of polls and news articles have been completely positive. When things are going this well on a campaign (and they don’t happen often like this), the candidate looks like they are having a great time, and it’s a golden cycle. When she’s speaking before 30,000 person crowds, she’s got a perpetual grin on her face that sometimes explodes into a huge, beautiful smile. Positivity like that is infectious.

To be sure, she’s still in somewhat of a honeymoon period and will continue to be until about Labor Day, when the conventions are over and the general election campaign kicks into high gear in earnest. She’ll probably maintain a lot of goodwill until then, at which point you’re likely to see the negative campaign commercials go into overdrive. The first real test will be when she faces Donald Trump in that debate September 10th. She’s done a good job of making Trump look petty and small to this point but when they are on the same stage, people are going to get a sense as to what the reality is. The last Trump debate, against Biden, made Biden look old, slow and was such a debacle it led to Biden stepping down from the campaign. The debate in September may be the only opportunity to compare the Trump v. Harris on the same stage, and should set the tone for the rest of the campaign through November.

PurpleAmerica’s Obscure Fact of the Day

The last time there was a DNC in Chicago, there were protests (over war in Vietnam), questions as to who would be the nominee, and a Minnesotan on the ticket (Hubert Humphrey).

In 2024, there will be a DNC in Chicago, there are planned protests (over war in Gaza), were questions about the nominee (until he stepped down) and there is a Minnesotan (Tim Walz) on the ticket.

History rhymes.

PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject

The Art of the Deal…

Trump: “I want to debate on Fox on September 4th!”

Harris: “You already said you were going to debate on ABC on September 10th and then backed out. We’re holding you to that September 10th debate.”

Trump: “I’m going to debate Kamala Harris on September 10th!”

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Footnotes and Fun Stuff

1. By comparison, in 2016, Hillary Clinton had an encyclopedia of policy positions on every conceivable issue on her campaign website. All it did was provide fodder for Republicans to tar and smear her with.