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Thomas O. Falk

When US Vice-President Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, the party’s operatives believed they had engineered the perfect formula for victory. Biden, after all, had become a symbol of age and frailty, his presidency increasingly defined by his gaffes and lack of vigour.
Harris, with her historic nomination and ability to galvanise the Democratic base, seemed the antidote to Donald Trump’s bombast, and she began leading in the national polls, with even some battleground states leaning in her favour. After the Democratic National Convention, where Harris’s acceptance speech hit all the right notes, the momentum felt irreversible.
But the mood has shifted drastically. Democrats, once giddy with optimism, are facing an all-too-familiar nightmare: a coin-flip election that could easily go the other way. Recent polls show Harris’ lead shrinking as Trump pulls ahead in the battleground states.
To put this in perspective, Harris’ numbers are not just weaker than Biden’s at this point of the year in 2020 but, more importantly, worse than Hillary Clinton’s in 2016. For all her flaws, Clinton still led Trump in several battleground states weeks before the 2016 election.
How did the Democrats let this happen? The answer lies in critical miscalculations.


Trump has brilliantly capitalised on two enduring issues that resonate deeply with the electorate: immigration and the economy. With inflation and interest rates still high and a job market that remains shaky for many, Trump has painted the economic climate as a failure of Democratic leadership.
His relentless focus on the border, amplified by outlandish claims such as Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs, may seem absurd to the politically attuned, but they strike a chord with his base and resonate in “swing states”. Trump knows how to press the right buttons, creating a distraction so potent that Democrats are left floundering.
Harris, in contrast, has largely avoided a confrontation with Trump on these issues. Her economic platform remains nebulous, more aspirational than concrete, and on immigration, she’s had no clear answer. While many, including myself, hoped that her vice-presidential tenure would make her appear more seasoned, more presidential, she has instead seemed reactive, waiting for Trump to implode under the weight of his demagoguery.
Which brings us to the arguably more devastating misstep of the Harris campaign: the adoption of what can only be called the “Ming vase strategy”. The idea is to treat Trump like a fragile artefact – place him on a pedestal, let him ramble and, eventually, he will shatter under the pressure of his incoherence.
The problem is that this strategy assumes Trump is his own worst enemy. But Trump possesses a seemingly near-superhuman ability to get away with anything, and expecting him to implode remains wishful thinking. His supporters see his brazenness as a feature, not a problem. The more outrageous and unhinged his behaviour, the more convinced they are that he is the only one capable of taking on the “deep state” and restoring America to greatness.


Moreover, the strategy has made Harris a passive spectator. Aside from the Fox News interview, instead of hitting the campaign trail hard, Harris has limited herself to softball interviews that do very little to endear her to undecided voters. In politics, as in war, passivity usually means death.
Adding insult to injury, the few times she has taken a stand, her positions have wavered, reinforcing the perception of her as a “flip-flopper” – the label that helped sink John Kerry’s 2004 candidacy. Her evolving stance on fracking, for instance, has alienated progressives while failing to win over moderates.
All is not lost, but the Harris campaign must change course immediately if it hopes to regain its footing.
First, she needs to engage Trump directly. Americans want a fighter, not a caretaker. The Biden campaign’s inability to present him as a forceful leader was one of its biggest flaws, and Harris must not fall into the same trap. She should go on the offensive, particularly on economic issues, where Trump’s record is far from unassailable.

Yes, unemployment is low, but wage stagnation and inflation are real issues that Harris must address with a concrete plan that speaks to the working class, not just the progressive elite. That she did an interview on Fox News, of all places, gives one hope that the lesson has been learned, but she also has to take advantage of these situations and accept that the economic reality has remained abysmal under the Biden/Harris presidency.
Second, Harris must stop shifting her positions in an attempt to appeal to everyone. Voters crave authenticity, and whether one agrees with Trump, his authenticity is a source of his appeal. Harris needs to pick a lane and stay in it. If she’s pro-environment, say so. If she believes in fracking, own it. Wavering is a recipe for disaster.
Third, Harris’ declaration that her presidency would not merely be a continuation of Biden’s was long overdue. While she cannot disown the administration’s record, the message was a necessary pivot that signalled the emergence of her own political identity. What is important is that this message plays ad nauseam until election night.
Finally, and most importantly, the Democratic Party must abandon its belief that Trump will destroy himself. They are up against a bulldozer. The Ming vase strategy will only see Harris’ campaign reduced to fragments. If she wants to win, she must start fighting like her candidacy – and the country’s future – depends on it. Because it does.


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Harris will wait in vain for Trump to shatter under the pressure of his incoherence. He is a bulldozer and Harris must face him head on


Harris will wait in vain for Trump to shatter under the pressure of his incoherence. He is a bulldozer and Harris must face him head on.


Donald Trump

Kamala Harris

US Politics

Joe Biden

United States

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Trump won’t self-destruct. To win, Harris must come out swinging

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Harris will wait in vain for Trump to shatter under the pressure of his incoherence. He is a bulldozer and Harris must face him head on

Harris will wait in vain for Trump to shatter under the pressure of his incoherence. He is a bulldozer and Harris must face him head on