For Vice President Kamala Harris, her presidential campaign theme song should be, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” from the famed Broadway musical, “Gypsy.” Thus far, almost everything she touches turns to political gold.
Eleven days ago, prior to the withdrawal from the campaign of President Joe Biden, a death knell seemed to be tolling for the Democratic Party. Biden was trailing in the polls both nationally and in the swing states.
Then, with Joe Biden’s endorsement, Harris secured the Democratic presidential nomination. Almost overnight, her poll numbers have rapidly ascended.
Nine years ago, I left the Republican Party, to which I had dedicated my entire adult life, to campaign for Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. I had worked directly with Hillary Clinton during my tenure as Bush 43 Region 2 EPA Administrator while she was serving as US Senator from New York. In terms of policy insight and political effectiveness, she was a magnificent US Senator.
Clinton would have been a great US President. She actually defeated Donald Trump in the 2016 popular vote.
Yet there was one political attribute that Harris has and Clinton didn’t: the ability to energize her followers. Kamala rallies are a scene of unrestrained joy and enthusiasm. Clinton’s rallies were a scene of veneration but not quite as enthusiastic as those of Harris.
In short, Hillary will always be an ideal, worthy of emulation, while Kamala is a rock star. The best news of the week for Kamala, however is that she has hired the best political communications team in the business, the same A-Team that enabled Barack Obama to be elected president in 2008 and reelected in 2012: David Plouffe for message and Jim Margolis for advertising. Already, Plouffe has formulated the devastating Kamala core message: The Prosecutor versus the Felon. Plouffe and Margolis are the most powerful duo since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Meanwhile, while Harris is surging, the Trump-Vance team is experiencing a veritable meltdown. It began at the Republican National Convention with his selection of J. D. Vance as his vice-presidential running mate. I had forecast in a previous column the various political perils inherent in a Vance selection, but he has proven to be far worse than even I envisaged. In a nutshell, J.D. Vance makes Republican running mates Spiro T. Agnew in 1968 and 1972 and Sarah Palin in 2008 look like political superstars. The meltdown accelerated with the dreadful, most divisive Convention acceptance speech of Trump himself.
Yet the Trump-Vance meltdown continues in full force and is likely to endure throughout the campaign, creating the genuine possibility that even red states like Ohio and Florida will flip to Democratic blue. The permanency of the meltdown is attributable to three issues: Abortion, misogyny, and racism.
For nearly a year, the abortion issue, in particular the Supreme Court Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade has been an electoral disaster nationally for the Republican Party. In election after election, the Dobbs decision has confirmed the perception that the GOP totally opposes a woman’s right of reproductive choice.
When you combine the abortion issue with Trump- Vance misogyny, including the unalterable perception that Donald Trump is a vile sexual predator, the indelible impression on the electorate is that the GOP is an anti-women party. The most graphic and conclusive evidence of Trump misogyny and sexual predatory activity to date is, the judicial determination that he raped E. Jean Carroll. Now Vance has poured fire on Trump misogyny with his derogatory phrase, “childless cat ladies.”
With Trump, the stench of his racism is an enduring classic political halitosis. In a recent column, I chronicled Trump’s lifetime of public and private racist acts. I doubted that he could or would do anything that would worsen his repugnant racist record.
But he did. In his appearance before the National Association of Black Journalists, Trump insulted in the most despicable and deplorable fashion every biracial person in America.
With Trump every day making the most offensive racist and misogynist statements, the Trump- Vance meltdown will continue, and another successful Plouffe-Margolis campaign is inevitable. Speculation will soon ensue as to the Cabinet appointments of President-elect Kamala Harris.
Alan J. Steinberg of Highland Park served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. He graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin Law School.
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The recent hiring of Kamala Harris’ top message team by the Trump-Vance campaign has sparked a meltdown within the Republican camp, with three core issues at the center of the controversy.
First and foremost, the hiring of Harris’ top message team signifies a shift in strategy for the Trump-Vance campaign. By bringing on board a team known for their expertise in crafting compelling messages and narratives, the campaign is signaling a more aggressive and strategic approach to messaging. This move has raised concerns among some Republicans who fear that the campaign may be veering off course and alienating key supporters.
Secondly, the hiring of Harris’ team has highlighted the growing divide within the Republican party between those who support Donald Trump and his brand of politics, and those who are looking for a more moderate and inclusive approach. The decision to bring on board a team with ties to a prominent Democrat like Kamala Harris has further deepened this divide, with some Republicans questioning the loyalty and motives of those within the campaign who advocated for this hire.
Lastly, the hiring of Harris’ team has raised questions about the overall effectiveness of the Trump-Vance campaign. Despite their best efforts to pivot and adapt to changing political dynamics, the campaign continues to struggle in gaining traction and connecting with voters. The decision to bring on board a team with ties to a political rival has only added fuel to the fire, further complicating an already tumultuous campaign season.
In conclusion, the hiring of Kamala Harris’ top message team by the Trump-Vance campaign has exposed three core issues that are causing a meltdown within the Republican camp. The shift in strategy, the growing divide within the party, and questions about campaign effectiveness all point to a campaign in turmoil. As the election draws nearer, it remains to be seen how these issues will impact the overall success of the Trump-Vance ticket.
