Biden's risky Plan with Kamala Harris
In the beginning, Donald Trump supported her, now Kamala Harris is supposed to defeat the Republicans in the US Presidential campaign. The Vice President could focus on the abortion issue and ignite a new generation. However, the Republicans' attacks are already underway.
"My very first decision as a party candidate in 2020 was to choose Kamala Harris as my Vice President," wrote US President Joe Biden in his letter, in which he announced his withdrawal from the Presidential campaign on Sunday: "And it was the best decision I ever made." It's not yet clear if the 59-year-old will even be the candidate, but Biden's plan is already risky.
Born in California as the daughter of a mother from India and a father from Jamaica, Kamala Devi Harris made history when she became the first Black woman and the first child of immigrants to be elected Vice President of the United States. Before that, she had worked as a District Attorney in San Francisco after completing her law degree, and was elected California Attorney General in 2010, the highest law enforcement position in the state.
In 2016, Harris was elected to the US Senate. She rose to prominence as a leading critic of Donald Trump, particularly targeting his immigration policy. When Trump proposed Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court in 2018, Harris' aggressive questioning earned her the status of a rising star among Democrats. In 2017, she had already criticized then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions over the Russia investigations.
Republicans attack Harris on immigration policy
Before Harris was chosen by Biden as his running mate, she was his rival. During her short-lived Presidential campaign for the previous election, she even clashed with him. In a debate in 2019, Harris challenged Biden on the topic of "race" and accused him of working with segregation supporters in the Senate. Experts believed Harris' chances of becoming Vice President were good, but Biden, who had promised to select a woman for the job, chose her despite this.
During her tenure as Vice President, the former prosecutor, as is often the case in the US, was unable to accumulate many points. Her role was to support her boss's politics. She did so without deviating from the script; that is, without gaining significant sympathy points or stepping into major controversies.
However, the onerous task assigned to her by Biden, which was to address efforts to curb migration from South and Central America, frequently drew criticism. Harris consistently emphasized the importance of focusing on children and practical solutions for migration, while enraged Republicans longed for the more lenient immigration policy of former President Trump. Since the border crisis is far from resolved and Trump has made it a major focus of his campaign, he is likely to attack Harris aggressively on this issue.
Previously, Republican TV advertisements had been circulating that linked the Vice President to border security issues. Shortly after Biden's withdrawal, the Republican National Committee released a video attacking Harris regarding her immigration policy. "This is the truth about Kamala Harris," the clip states. "She is dangerously liberal when it comes to illegal immigration." At the Republican convention in Milwaukee, speakers criticized both Harris and Biden for illegal border crossings and high inflation rates.
Another topic Biden relied on Harris for during his entire presidency was abortion. The Vice President, more than anyone else, represented reproductive health rights in the White House. This stance could put Republicans and Trump in danger. Harris should now take a more aggressive stance for reproductive rights and could potentially draw Republican candidates into a debate that could undermine their chances of winning.
While Biden, as a Catholic man, did not garner enough points with pro-choice advocates, Harris embarked on a nationwide tour for reproductive rights. As the first Vice President, she visited a Planned Parenthood clinic, a non-profit organization that provides abortions and other medical services for women. Since the three Trump-appointed justices of the Supreme Court contributed to overturning the landmark abortion rights decision (Roe v. Wade) in 2022, public opinion on abortion has shifted against the Republicans and even contributed to an unexpectedly poor performance in the midterm elections of 2022.
In a survey by the leading US market and opinion research institute Gallup, 27% of respondents stated they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. Additionally, approximately half of Republican women believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a recent national survey. Even the majority of women who vote Republican want abortion to be legal in cases of rape, incest, or a pregnancy threat to the mother's health.
Trump once donated to Harris' campaign
Biden's last big plan, it's as interesting as risky. If Harris wins the presidency as the Democratic nominee, what are her chances in the presidential elections? When Trump donated $5,000 to Harris' re-election campaign as California Attorney General in 2011, he didn't yet know he would be running against her in the presidential race. In a recent CNN interview, he claimed Harris was easier to beat than Biden. During his speech at the convention, he insulted her multiple times as "crazy."
Recent polls, conducted after Biden's weak performance in the TV debate against Trump, did not indicate that Harris would be more likely to defeat Trump in November. Supporters of the Vice President, especially her superfans who call themselves "KHive" (hive means beehive), argue that these polls could change once Biden drops out.
At least the dynamics of the race up until November are much less clear now, as Trump has a new opponent and a female opponent. Many Democrats and undecided voters in the USA have recently been intensely looking for a change in the campaign. Some are even just looking for a relatively normal option among the candidates. Harris has extensive leadership experience and could become a strong voice in a time when democracy and women's rights are being attacked.
Harris will also become a large target for Republican criticism, merely because she is a Black woman. However, Biden has already managed to assemble a small team with his withdrawal announcement. Harris can stand for a fierce, diverse, and courageous future. For the necessary new fire in the campaign. For a new generation of Democrats who face the regressive thinking of Donald Trump and his "Make America Great Again" followers.
In the United States Presidential Election 2024, Kamala Harris is expected to face off against former President Donald Trump, given her role as Vice President under President Joe Biden and his recent withdrawal from the presidency. Despite Trump's past support for Harris, his campaign has already begun attacking her on immigration policy, echoing the sentiments expressed in a Republican National Committee video released shortly after Biden's announcement.
Given her strong stance on reproductive health rights and the shift in public opinion on abortion, Harris could potentially use this issue to her advantage and draw Republican candidates into a debated that could undermine their chances. According to a Gallup survey, 27% of respondents stated they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion, and even a majority of Republican women believe that abortion should be legal in certain cases.
