I think Harris was in a tough spot. She couldn’t criticize the administration she was a part of and she also couldn’t praise it.
I’m not sure if a thirty day primary would’ve tipped the scales. It would have to be someone outside the administration and ready to scale up quickly.
Would a white male governor or senator have stood a chance? Maybe.
Would millions of voters have stayed home given another choice? Maybe not.
But I think the fact that the plurality of the electorate choose a lying, grifting, treasonous, adjudicated rapist, convicted felon and probable pedophile speaks volumes about the idiocy, ignorance and racism of the voters then about the quality of the democratic candidates.
Unfortunately I don’t think any VP candidate would have saved the day. Harris was too conventional a candidate at a time they needed a pit fighter, Biden was too unpopular and would have dragged down any candidate, and the Republicans successfully worked the media while Democrats just assumed paid ads would make up the difference.
But her revelations in this book are just driving home the point that her political instincts are lousy. I hope she’s not planning on running again because she’s just not up for it.
Thank you for taking the time to reflect on the past, Stephen. I'm stuck between "Fuckthisshitville" and "Nothingfuckingmatterstown," not particularly capable of retrospection given the overwhelming circumstances, but I know this much: a different VP selection would've not made a difference. Way too many average Americans liked what Orange Degenerate was selling, and that's ultimately the biggest tragedy.
I thought Walz was fine, except for the debate performance. If anything, the biggest drawback about him is that, apparently, as the campaign came down the home stretch, they started muzzling him. He was kicking serious ass before that, especially with the "weird" thing.
Yeah, a lot of other factors were at play, it may have been unwinnable. But after three cycles it’s clear that Democrats campaign as though 1996 tactics still work and its hobbling them.
I think it’s appalling that it took Biden having a mental collapse on stage before the party made any real move to get him not to run again, when the writing was on the wall in 2023. The insistence that “I beat him before” was delusional (Biden beat an unpopular incumbent but he was now the unpopular incumbent)
The party talked about Trump’s threat to democracy but didn’t seem to take it seriously until it was too late.
They should go back to their 2008 tactics: (1) get an incredibly charismatic and smart candidate and (2) force the opposition to run a VP candidate who will auto-implode after two weeks on the campaign trail.
Of course, the difference there is that W *wanted* him in the room for everything. Say what you will about W, but at least he knew about himself that he was lazy, uninformed, and incurious.
I will never forget that time W had to go give some sort of deposition and he insisted that he be allowed to being along his Dick.
If it’s any consolation, VP debates don’t win or lose elections. I heard Pete Buttigieg on Kara Swisher’s podcast, and he agreed (with much prodding) that in hindsight sight it would have been better for Democrats to run a ‘30 day primary’ (about one-third of the time Harris had to run a campaign) after Biden bowed out. Democrats make me crazy. The fact that Biden did so much for the country and got no credit signals that the country wasn’t having anyone associated with the traditional Democratic Party who had worked on Biden’s agenda. She made mistakes (and her handling of Netanyahu critics was a big one), but this wasn’t an election that should have been run on the margins. He’s a convicted felon! Promising a dictatorship! This country has said NO to women candidates twice now, both highly qualified. Why the navel gazing?
"The fact that Biden did so much for the country and got no credit signals that the country wasn’t having anyone associated with the traditional Democratic Party who had worked on Biden’s agenda."
I'm sorry, but all the good Biden did was nullified by his inability to hold Trump accountable, norms and traditions be dammed.
I had forgotten about the VP debate, and both you and Harris are right about Walz' performance. Since there is only one VP debate, there is no chance of redeeming yourself at the next one.
I think that in not picking Shapiro or another ambitious running mate Harris said a lot about her own insecurity and weakness as a candidate. If she didn't think she could keep reign on him, how would she ever deal with Putin or Xi?
I think Harris was in a tough spot. She couldn’t criticize the administration she was a part of and she also couldn’t praise it.
I’m not sure if a thirty day primary would’ve tipped the scales. It would have to be someone outside the administration and ready to scale up quickly.
Would a white male governor or senator have stood a chance? Maybe.
Would millions of voters have stayed home given another choice? Maybe not.
But I think the fact that the plurality of the electorate choose a lying, grifting, treasonous, adjudicated rapist, convicted felon and probable pedophile speaks volumes about the idiocy, ignorance and racism of the voters then about the quality of the democratic candidates.
Unfortunately I don’t think any VP candidate would have saved the day. Harris was too conventional a candidate at a time they needed a pit fighter, Biden was too unpopular and would have dragged down any candidate, and the Republicans successfully worked the media while Democrats just assumed paid ads would make up the difference.
But her revelations in this book are just driving home the point that her political instincts are lousy. I hope she’s not planning on running again because she’s just not up for it.
Thank you for taking the time to reflect on the past, Stephen. I'm stuck between "Fuckthisshitville" and "Nothingfuckingmatterstown," not particularly capable of retrospection given the overwhelming circumstances, but I know this much: a different VP selection would've not made a difference. Way too many average Americans liked what Orange Degenerate was selling, and that's ultimately the biggest tragedy.
I thought Walz was fine, except for the debate performance. If anything, the biggest drawback about him is that, apparently, as the campaign came down the home stretch, they started muzzling him. He was kicking serious ass before that, especially with the "weird" thing.
He started off strong—had he kept at it—and had Harris done the same!—who knows, they might have won.
I wonder. It's tempting to blame the loss on the decision to listen too much to the consultants.
But mostly I think it's not reasonable to attribute the loss to any single factor.
Yeah, a lot of other factors were at play, it may have been unwinnable. But after three cycles it’s clear that Democrats campaign as though 1996 tactics still work and its hobbling them.
I think it’s appalling that it took Biden having a mental collapse on stage before the party made any real move to get him not to run again, when the writing was on the wall in 2023. The insistence that “I beat him before” was delusional (Biden beat an unpopular incumbent but he was now the unpopular incumbent)
The party talked about Trump’s threat to democracy but didn’t seem to take it seriously until it was too late.
They should go back to their 2008 tactics: (1) get an incredibly charismatic and smart candidate and (2) force the opposition to run a VP candidate who will auto-implode after two weeks on the campaign trail.
Sadly agreed.
>> (Liz Cheney could have told her otherwise.)
Of course, the difference there is that W *wanted* him in the room for everything. Say what you will about W, but at least he knew about himself that he was lazy, uninformed, and incurious.
I will never forget that time W had to go give some sort of deposition and he insisted that he be allowed to being along his Dick.
It was pretty evident that cheney père wore the pants most of their 8 years together.
If it’s any consolation, VP debates don’t win or lose elections. I heard Pete Buttigieg on Kara Swisher’s podcast, and he agreed (with much prodding) that in hindsight sight it would have been better for Democrats to run a ‘30 day primary’ (about one-third of the time Harris had to run a campaign) after Biden bowed out. Democrats make me crazy. The fact that Biden did so much for the country and got no credit signals that the country wasn’t having anyone associated with the traditional Democratic Party who had worked on Biden’s agenda. She made mistakes (and her handling of Netanyahu critics was a big one), but this wasn’t an election that should have been run on the margins. He’s a convicted felon! Promising a dictatorship! This country has said NO to women candidates twice now, both highly qualified. Why the navel gazing?
"The fact that Biden did so much for the country and got no credit signals that the country wasn’t having anyone associated with the traditional Democratic Party who had worked on Biden’s agenda."
I'm sorry, but all the good Biden did was nullified by his inability to hold Trump accountable, norms and traditions be dammed.
Fair.
I also may now have to read Kamala’s book. These tantalizing excerpts you’ve shared with us are becoming irresistible. Thanks, Stephen!
I had forgotten about the VP debate, and both you and Harris are right about Walz' performance. Since there is only one VP debate, there is no chance of redeeming yourself at the next one.
I’d forgotten about it, too. I think there are a lot of things that occurred during those pre-Election months that I’ve just blocked out.
I think that in not picking Shapiro or another ambitious running mate Harris said a lot about her own insecurity and weakness as a candidate. If she didn't think she could keep reign on him, how would she ever deal with Putin or Xi?
I'd forgotten than in losing Harris we also lost a trove of work from Rudolph. (Sighs).