Kamala Harris’ recent media tour is shaping up to be a disaster for Democrats, and the cracks are showing. What started as an attempt to bolster her candidacy has been marred by two natural disasters, awkward moments with President Joe Biden, and the revelation that her Univision town hall—supposedly a forum for undecided voters—was packed with her supporters. The lack of transparency and poor optics are just the beginning. The real issue is Harris’s inability to address voters’ key concerns, particularly the economy.
In her interviews, Harris has largely stuck to platitudes and vague talking points, avoiding any real discussion of the inflation crisis that’s crushing working families. Americans are struggling with rising costs, and yet, Harris has failed to articulate how she would handle things differently from Joe Biden. This lack of substance is a major problem, especially for voters who care more about putting food on the table than lofty discussions about “protecting democracy.” Harris’s detachment from these everyday struggles is becoming glaringly obvious.
Are Biden and Kamala’s policies helping or hurting your family?
HELPING: 25%
HURTING: 45%Did Trump’s policies help or hurt your family?
HELPED: 44%
HURT: 31% pic.twitter.com/XiVMIE1NPU— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 13, 2024
Worse still, the polling trends are now catching up with her. A September NBC News poll had Harris five points ahead of Donald Trump. Today, they’re tied at 48% each. What happened? Voters—especially independent ones—are tuning out Harris’s rehearsed lines and vague policies. As Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt noted, whatever momentum Harris had going into the fall has completely evaporated. Republicans are rallying around Trump, and Democrats are struggling to maintain their grip on key constituencies.
Kamala Harris did a media blitz in the last three weeks and dropped by 4-5 points in two national polls.
Now you know why they tried to keep her in the basement
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 13, 2024
In a desperate attempt to court voters, particularly men and rural Americans, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, are leaning hard into outdoor sports. Walz, in an awkward throwback to John Kerry’s infamous 2004 hunting photo-op, donned a bright orange vest and went pheasant hunting. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t bag any birds—or even fire a shot. The hunting trip has drawn mockery from Republicans, who labeled it a staged photo-op. Social media was quick to pounce, highlighting Walz’s struggle to load his shotgun. The Trump campaign wasted no time ridiculing the outing, calling it a “desperate” attempt to win over male voters.
Meanwhile, the Harris campaign launched “Hunters and Anglers for Harris-Walz,” hoping to engage sportspeople and rural voters in battleground states. The problem is, these voters aren’t likely to forget Walz’s shift on gun control. As governor, he signed legislation expanding background checks and a controversial “red flag” law, alienating many Second Amendment supporters.
Tim Walz brought his own gun, a beretta, to hunt for pheasants, he tells me. “
I bought it when I was we shooting a lot of trap,” the Minnesota governor said. pic.twitter.com/K1zGkWYEPY
— Shawna Mizelle (@shawnamizelle) October 12, 2024
