Charlie’s argument that “Kamala Harris Is an Idiot” is both correct and sadly in need of pointing out so bluntly. We have lived through George W. Bush’s malaprops, John Kerry’s hedges, Joe Biden’s gaffes, and Donald Trump’s ramblings, but we have never yet seen a national candidate so vacuous and incapable of basic communication as Harris. (As bad as Biden is now, at least we can all remember when he was capable of that.)
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama could be vague and gaseous at times, but that was usually a deliberate strategy; nobody doubted that Obama had specific plans and aims in mind, or thought that Clinton (or his wife) lacked a mastery of detail.
I often note that Ronald Reagan wasn’t called “The Great Communicator” just because he gave stirring speeches or told good jokes, but because a Reagan speech communicated: You came away from listening to him knowing what he was doing or proposed to do and why he thought it was a good idea. This is the opposite of the effect that one gets from listening to Harris.
And yet, there’s an exception. When Harris talks about abortion, or same-sex relationships, or a few other culture-war issues — typically those with some connection to sex, although occasionally on matters of race as well — she is much more sure-footed. Not well-informed; her arguments are typically still just a collection of clichés that you’d expect to hear from a college sophomore. But at least she’s clear on where she stands and passionate about the issues. Those are the things that engage her interest. It’s the minute you get into topics like international affairs, the economy, or really anything that involves governing that she gets clearly out of her depth.
Even the national political press seems to be getting a bit exasperated at this, if only out of a creeping sense that she might blow the election to Trump, combined with a bit of frustration that she’s making their jobs harder in having to not only carry her water but fill the buckets themselves. Maybe Trump’s well-known flaws will rescue her anyway by Election Day, but if not, it’s going to be a long four years with a president whose only real interests are in culture-war hot buttons.