Vice President Kamala Harris has taken an interesting approach to campaigning, taking credit for the Biden-Harris administration’s successes while distancing herself from the same administration’s failures. This contradiction is particularly evident in her portrayal of former President Donald Trump as the incumbent responsible for soaring migrant crime rates, spiking inflation, and the deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, all issues that arose during her administration.
The media has largely ignored this “catch-22” present in Harris’s candidacy; she cannot campaign on fixing problems like crime, inflation, and border security without undermining the Biden-Harris administration’s claim to have solved these key issues. However, to validate her record and candidacy, Harris must highlight the administration’s successes.
Despite this contradiction, Harris’ media allies seem content to let her speak out of both sides of her mouth. For instance, she was not interviewed about her policies for 36 days after joining the race, a surprising amount of time for a new candidate who received an impromptu coronation. Associated Press’s Zeke Miller and Chris Megerian appeared to praise Harris’s approach in a Monday article, describing it as “successfully harmonizing two seemingly competing messages.
This strategy is not without its critics. Trump pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Travis Tunis noted the media’s prolonged “honeymoon” period for Harris, which has now extended beyond four weeks. Polling data shows that inflation, border security, and crime are significant concerns for American voters under the Biden-Harris administration.
Inflation soared by around 20% across various sectors during this time, and millions of people crossed the southern border while some illegal migrants were accused of committing heinous crimes. A recent CBS News poll found that 63% of voters consider crime a major factor in their presidential election vote, while a YouGov poll from August revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans view soaring costs and migration as their most pressing issues.