Lucas: Kamala’s book tour trumps 2024 race
In a recent analysis, the author reflects on Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign and her current promotional efforts for her book, “107 Days.” The piece suggests that had Harris approached her campaign with the same vigor and openness she now exhibits in selling her book, she might have performed better in the 2024 Democratic primaries. During her campaign, Harris had access to a staggering $1.5 billion in funding but notably avoided engaging with the media, a decision that may have undermined her visibility and connection with voters. In contrast, her current media blitz for her book has resulted in more interviews in a matter of weeks than she conducted throughout her entire campaign, raising questions about her strategy and commitment to political engagement.
The article goes on to speculate about what a Harris presidency might have looked like, contrasting it with the current administration under President Donald Trump. It paints a picture of a Harris-led administration that could potentially lean towards more liberal policies, with figures like John Kerry and Elizabeth Warren in prominent roles. The author expresses skepticism about Harris’s ability to handle international relations, particularly with adversaries like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, and suggests that her domestic policies could lead to an open border and a shift in priorities that might not align with national security interests. The narrative implies that the Democratic Party may face challenges in the future, with younger, more radical figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez emerging as potential contenders for the nomination, complicating Harris’s aspirations for a 2028 run.
As Harris continues her book tour, the author notes her determination to remain relevant in the political landscape, despite the shadow of President Biden’s administration. The piece concludes with a sense of skepticism regarding her future prospects, suggesting that her past missteps and the evolving dynamics within the Democratic Party could hinder her chances of securing the nomination again. Ultimately, the article serves as a critique of Harris’s political journey thus far, while also examining the shifting tides within the Democratic Party and the broader implications for American politics.
If Kamala Harris campaigned for president the way she is storming the country selling her book, she might have become president.
Had she been more open with the media the way she is now — instead of hiding out from the press throughout the campaign — she might have prevailed.
The vice president had some $1.5 billion in campaign funds to burn through. And burn through those funds, she did,
So, things maybe could have been different,
Not really. She was going to lose anyway.
But it is something to think about.
It is hard to imagine a President Harris dealing with dictators like Communist China’s Xi Jinping, war criminal Vladimir Putin of Russia or defiant Chuck Schumer of New York.
It is doubtful that she would have sent the B-2 bombers to wipe out the nuclear facilities in Iran or done much to free the Israelis held hostage by the Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
With Harris in the White House, John Kerry would have been back as climate czar, Maura Healey would be U.S. attorney general, and Elizabeth Warren would be Secretary of State.
The border would be open with Gavin Newsom in charge, people being deported would be Republicans, and Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro would be bombing U.S vessels and not the other way around.
Under President Donald Trump, however, Maduro, if he is lucky, will soon be back driving a bus or die in prison, like fellow drug kingpin Manuel Noriega of Panama after the U.S. invaded and arrested him.
And the East Wing of the White House that Trump is turning into a ballroom?
Forget about it. President Harris would have turned it into a Washington food pantry.
If you think not, consider her quote about the ballroom last week. She said, “Are you f—–g kidding me? The guy wants to create a ballroom for his rich friends while turning a blind eye to the fact that babies are going to starve when the SNAP benefits end hours from now. Come on.”
Nobody is going to starve in the U.S., and everybody knows it.
And can you imagine President Harris ending wars around the globe the way Trump has done?
Trump has settled so many wars between countries that he has lost count. He has even brought peace to countries that did not even know they were at war.
So, with the defeat of Harris, the country dodged a bullet.
Still, Harris is hanging in there hoping that lightning will strike twice and that she will once again be the Democrat Party nominee for president in 2028. Fat chance.
The difference now is that this time she will have to fight for the Democrat nomination instead of being crowned by the party as she was in 2024 after Joe Biden melted down.
Harris, however, will now face a wave of new, ambitious, young radical leftists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) or Zohran Mamdani (ZM) for instance, who have taken over the leadership of the Democrat Party
Meanwhile, Harris still has old Joe Biden hanging around her neck like an ex-husband who won’t leave the house.
Still, Harris is trying, and says she is not finished with politics, which is interpreted as that she will run again, or at least try.
And she has remained in the spotlight not by campaigning for any candidate the way Barack Obama did, but by peddling her book.
While stiffing the media in 2024 — and paying the price for it — Harris has now done interviews with more reporters promoting her book “107 Days” than she did during the entire 107 days of her presidential campaign.
And she’s only been on her book-selling tour for 40 days.
She apparently thought that the $1.5 billion she spent on her campaign would do the trick. It did not
Harris spent the entire 107 days of her 2024 presidential campaign without holding a single official press conference, which must be something of a record.
Now she loves the media, and reporters have to beat her off with a stick.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
Former US Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy speaks to former President Joe Biden during the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute For The United States Senate in October. (CJ Gunther/Boston Herald)
