Saturday, June 29, 2024

Relax. Kamala Harris would be just fine.

President Kamala Harris would be a strong, credible president. And a strong, credible candidate. 

A transformation takes place when the person gets the job.

It is why inaugurations are important. 

It is why crowning the king is important. 



There is something small and weak about being number two. Few people respected Vice President Truman. Vice President Dan Quail was a butt of jokes. Prince Charles was a sad sack, looking diminished and pathetic as he waited and waited. 

Now he wears the crown and he is king. Now he is elevated.

I watched Kamala Harris in New Hampshire. She was a good candidate, lost in a crowd somewhere among Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg and ten more. There could be only one winner and it was not Harris  She was positioned in an important spot, but not the one that had the Democratic energy in 2019.  Biden could not become the alternative to the Democratic left until all the semi-centrist candidates to the right of Sanders left the race. She was a former district attorney and former California attorney general, then was a California U.S. senator. Her law and order vibe was a bit out of fashion then. Now she is back in style.

Biden has kept Harris in her place, talking about two issues, the "women's issue" of abortion and the "Black issue" of racial prejudice. He also gave her the impossible border issue. It was impossible because Democrats are divided. Democrats on the progressive left opposed strong border enforcement, considering it cruel, at least until border-state governors began sending newly-arrived immigrants north to blue states. Now they understand the problem and the political cost of an unregulated border. This realization comes too late either to solve the border problem or to absolve Harris for having been made to look ineffectual by her own party.

But imagine this: Biden announces he is resigning at noon, July 4. He blames it on his heart.

TV cameras are set up in the Oval Office. Kamala Harris is administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice at noon, then sits down at the Resolute Desk and faces the cameras.

My fellow Americans, the Constitution of this great country provided for situations of this kind, the incapacity of a president. The constitutional order of our government continues. 

I have instructed my secretary of defense to alert our armed forces around the world to be on heightened alert. I expect no problems, but I want to assure our allies and any potential adversary that the continuity of government remains intact. I have instructed our secretary of state to provide the same assurances to foreign governments, and that is underway. I met with both the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson yesterday to request a status report on pending legislation. I would welcome legislation that would resolve the problems of unregulated immigration at the southern border.

In the past three days I have spoken with Chinese President XI Jinping, Russian President Putin, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. America's goal is a peaceful and prosperous world, with borders secure. I told them that our navy will continue to protect trade in the world's oceans. I intend to continue the policies of former president Biden as we begin re-evaluation of our future needs as circumstances require.

This is a new chapter in America, but I build upon the work of the former president. I have instructed the White House staff to prepare a list of potential vice presidents to be selected under the rules of the Constitution, the process that named Gerald Ford in 1974. 

Your government is at work. We have work to do. I will conclude today with the same way that President Biden concluded during his presidency: God bless America and God protect our troops.


Something like that. She could go on, but the best thing would be photos of her concluding her speech and shaking hands with John Roberts, Mike Johnson, and generals in uniform. She shouldn't look like she is seeking support. She should be accepting their recognition that she is now the boss. She should be nodding a thank-you.

The old Kamala Harris of this photo is no more. 


The smiling, hand-waving cheerleader wearing a colorful light blue pantsuit will not appear again in public. She is no longer the second banana. She will look, dress, and sound like the CEO. A former general might be able to show geniality at this moment. Not her, not yet. She came out of an auxiliary role, and she is female. She is no cheerleader now. She is the leader.

Her first job is to demonstrate order and legitimacy, and a speech like this does that. She must sound secure that she holds power through legitimate means. She has taken command of our military. She is serious and competent. And she is already at work. 



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14 comments:

Mike Steely said...

I like that idea! At this point, it would be too disruptive for Biden to bow out, but there’s no reason he couldn’t after he’s elected. I know a lot of people don’t like Harris. They like to point out that she didn’t fix the border crisis – never mind that it’s Congress’ job. Besides, she’s aggressive and uppity – i.e. a woman of color.

She undoubtedly has faults, as do we all, but she can tell right from wrong and fact from fiction. That’s a hell of a lot more than can be said for Trump and the sycophants calling themselves Republicans.

Low Dudgeon said...

If—and today it still looks like a big if—Biden steps aside, Harris for various reasons looks like the only plausible choice for Democrats. Still. she cratered quickly as a candidate after her high point calling out Biden as a racist throwback. She withered on stage under Tulsi Gabbard’s criticism and garnered meager support even in her home state. She was selected as Veep because of identity politics. Until last week she is best known in office for run-on, word salad fatuities and an off-putting, sometimes even creepy laugh. Nonetheless, she would be a clear upgrade from and antidote to Trump, including in debate.

Rick Millward said...

I advocated for this strategy in '22. Now I fear it just appears desperate. Democrats bet that The Felon would self destruct and the resultant Republican disarray would give them an unbeatable advantage. No one thought the judicial system would tilt in his favor, from the AG and SCOTUS on down, effectively sabotaging its effect.

What happens next is up to Joe Biden, no one else. Only a completely disabling collapse will take matters out of his control.

All the rest is just noise.

Michael Trigoboff said...

Kamala Harris was a catastrophically incompetent candidate. She cratered and disappeared well before the first primary in Iowa in 2020. Her one notable political move was her unconscionable racial hit (“I was that young girl“) against Joe Biden. Her polls are currently worse than Joe Biden‘s, and she has never displayed any ability to do anything that might improve them. The chances that Kamala Harris will beat Donald Trump in the fall are minuscule.

Choosing identity over competence results in lower competence. The Democrats need to decide between their attachment to identity politics and their desire not to have four more years of President Donald Trump. I hate to say it, but I suspect they will choose identity politics.

Ed Cooper said...

I don't think anybody recognized the depths SCOTUS would sink to in order to help Drumpf. If General Garland is helping, it's unwittingly, IMHO. However it's done, he needs to be replaced, hopefully the day after Joe Biden is reelected. He has proven to be the largest error of Bidens Administration, along with Deb Haaland at Interior.

Mike said...

" The chances that Kamala Harris will beat Donald Trump in the fall are minuscule."
Peter wasn’t suggesting Harris run against Trump. He was suggesting Biden let her take over after he’s re-elected.

Choosing identity over competence results in lower competence.
The Republican Party is 85% White with a White nationalist base. Now that’s identity politics, and the resulting incompetence couldn't be more obvious.

Michael Trigoboff said...

When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When your only tool is the race card…

Mike said...

MT - Just to clarify, how is it using "the race card" to point out that Republicans also indulge in identity politics? It sounds like a non sequitur.

Ed Cooper said...

Only 85% ? I'm shocked it's only that
much. Although I understand more of the Latino/Latina population has trended to the right, I'm surprised that so many people of different ethnicities could support a man who would cheerfully load them into Cattle Cars for a one way trip to who knows where.

Ed Cooper said...

"non sequitur" is the perhaps the nicest thing you can say about MT latest shots at Kamala Harris.

Michael Trigoboff said...

"non sequitur" is the perhaps the nicest thing you can say about MT latest shots at Kamala Harris.

You don’t have to believe me; ask the American people instead. KH’s poll numbers are worse than JB’s.

Mike said...

Half the American people support Trump. What the hell do they know? They're as crazy as he is or they wouldn't be supporting such a madman.

Anonymous said...

Michael,
Do you find comfort in polls that show racists agree with you?

Michael Trigoboff said...

Do you find comfort in polls that show racists agree with you?

I say what I think, regardless of who does or doesn’t agree with me.

If you said that 2+2 = 4 and a racist agreed with you, would you start doubting the arithmetic?