Kamala Harris, Composite Presidential Nominee
Seth MandelAugust 19, 2024 for Commentary.org
Tonight begins the four-day convention at which the Democratic Party will officially nominate Kamala Harris for president. And a look at the convention program reveals the strategy behind this week’s events.
Having tossed aside many of her past policy positions and including in her speeches a critique of the current economy, Kamala Harris is the incumbent running against her own administration. In a way, it’s brilliant: A Harris vs. Harris election will end with a Harris victory one way or the other. But the Democratic National Convention is set up less to contrast Harris and Trump on policy (the two campaigns sometimes appear quite alike on that front) than to contrast Donald Trump with The Collective Generic Democrat.
Harris’s campaign has been unusually light on policy, and the candidate doesn’t do much talking off the cuff or to reporters—unscripted human interaction is, shall we say, not where she thrives. But what she’s doing is working so far, and it’s making her the obvious favorite headed into the final stretch of the campaign.
So the convention will play it smart and emphasize all the things voters like about Kamala Harris, such as:
Joe Biden. The man who is still, we are told, the president of the United States, represented something important in 2020: He was the one Democratic candidate on stage who didn’t come off as crazy to at least some segment of the voting public. He’ll be reprising that role on the convention’s first night. That’s because one of the candidates on that 2020 stage was Harris. So Biden will be doing his own version of “think globally, act locally.” The president wants those who favor his non-progressive instincts to think Biden, nominate Harris.
Hillary Clinton. Technically, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton are two different people. But remember when Hillary was supposed to be the first female president by defeating her boorish, womanizing opponent? And remember how you didn’t “let [her] be president,” in Hillary’s words? Well now you can. Sort of. She’s scheduled to speak tonight as well. Think Hillary, vote Kamala.
Barack Obama. Tomorrow night, the former president will take the stage. But you don’t have to wait for the man himself to feel the 2008 vibes. As you may have noticed, from the Kamalot headlines to the Shepard Fairey iconography to the press’s self-deletion on behalf of the cause, we are the nostalgia we’ve been waiting for. True, Obama was a once-in-a-generation political talent and Harris… isn’t. But that’s why the composite is here. Think Obama—well, you get the point.
Bill Clinton. Wednesday night is Bubba Night. Sometimes Democrats feel the need to remind the Americans who live between the coasts that they are aware of their existence. So while it may have seemed contrived to have veep nominee Tim Walz loudly proclaim that he likes a good Runza now and again, and while it’s downright cringeworthy watching the whole press corps add the word “folksy” to everything Walz says and does, you only have to wait till Wednesday to see the original: a real live Democratic president who won West Virginia! Walz will speak as well, of course. But the more important part of his appearance Wednesday will be his physical proximity to Bill Clinton, and the osmosis will take it from there.
Jimmy Carter. The 99-year-old former president will not be at the convention, but his grandson Jason reportedly will be. NBC says Jason Carter is “confirmed to be speaking as a representative for his grandfather.” Although Jimmy Carter doesn’t have a great presidential legacy, his post-presidency of volunteer work and criticism of Israel made him a beloved elder statesman to Democrats. Even if symbolically, three generations of living Democratic presidents will be represented. (Although Bill Clinton, who left the presidency 23 years ago, is younger than Joe Biden.)
In a way, the Democratic Party is nominating itself this week. Whereas Barack Obama had once admitted that some of the people in his memoirs were actually “composites” of friends and acquaintances, by Thursday night the Democratic faithful will be excited to nominate who they hope to be America’s first composite president. All the things voters love about Kamala Harris—that is, politicians other than Kamala Harris—will be on display.
A reminder to all. This site welcomes all who wish to comment.
We DO NOT welcome, nor accept, ad hominem attacks!
This is a first warning to all.
Do not place me in a situation where I must say; “Well, Bless Your Heart.”