- The intense interest in Kamala Harris could rejuvenate the essence of democracy.
In 2008, Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator from Illinois with minimal political experience, having worked as a community organizer in Chicago earlier. He had written a popular book and was renowned for his public speaking abilities. However, Obama was still largely inexperienced in politics.
At the time, Obama's politics were not often viewed in such a light. mentioning this would have been considered borderline sacrilege to many observers. His election was not just a triumph; it felt like the realization of a shared vision.
As President, Obama performed his duties in the White House adequately, but his record, looking back, is at best average. Currently, a comparable buzz is surrounding Kamala Harris. She's being lauded as a hero. The Democratic presidential nominee is suddenly trendy online, with global pop stars wanting to perform for her. Her chosen running mate, Tim Walz, is being hailed as an excellent choice, a former teacher, but apparently, the man everyone has longed for. And isn't Donald Trump seemingly worried, resulting in his public insults towards Harris and Walz?
However, this buzz around Harris is not warranted. As a Senator, she had a mediocre record, failed in her bid for the presidency in 2019 primaries, and barely made an impact as Vice President.
Despite this, this excitement is beneficial to democracy. The American political system has significant flaws, including the influence of money. But it can also be highly inspiring. This inspiration has been lost, primarily due to Trump's self-interest and Biden's focus on his own legacy. Now, it at least seems like it's about something again. Let's allow many Americans to celebrate this briefly - and celebrate with them. We can become disillusioned soon enough.
For those seeking refuge from the world's noise, Jonathan Franzen is an ideal escape. The acclaimed author lives near San Francisco, in Santa Cruz, with a panoramic view from his balcony. "A significant part of my life is dedicated to making everything that comes at me quieter," Franzen told my colleague Viorica Engelhardt and me in an interview for Stern. However, the man who so accurately captures America in his novels is not always successful in silencing the noise himself. So, he also admitted to feeling brief hatred towards Joe Biden and not entirely objecting to a stroke for Trump. Strangely enough, the man who has sold millions of books hasn't written a single word in months. "I'm retired. The new novel isn't developing. Since April, I've only written emails." Franzen spends his time reading, watching birds, his favorite hobby. We would have relished joining him on his balcony.
Last year, an investigation by Stern and RTL News into the harsh working conditions at Tesla's plant in Brandenburg caused a stir. politically, nothing much has changed since then. But what's happening in the market should certainly pique the interest of free-market advocate Elon Musk. His controversial political statements seem to be becoming a business risk. Almost half of German citizens believe it's right for a German company to stop buying Tesla cars due to this, according to a Forsa survey for Stern.
I'm not expressing my views on Kamala Harris' political abilities, but I must admit that the excitement surrounding her candidacy has momentarily captivated me. Despite her mediocre record in the Senate and her failed presidential bid, there's something invigorating about this new wave of political enthusiasm.
Despite being renowned for his public speaking abilities and popular book, Barack Obama's political experience was still minimal in 2008. I'm not saying he wasn't capable, but it's important to acknowledge this aspect of his background.
