A Faulty Campaign Strategy
The defeat of Kamala Harris in the presidential election of 2024 was not because of misogyny but a faulty campaign strategy that underestimated the American voter. In lieu of addressing issues, the Democrats opted to employ a guilt-inducing approach that came forth hollow and helped them lose the election in a landslide as the Republicans won in a landslide, ushering Donald Trump back into the White House.
Guilt as a Tool of Campaigning
The Harris-Walz campaign dangled the guilt before uncertain voters, trying to make them feel like accomplices if they were going to vote Republican. But this only pushed swing voters further away because they saw it as manipulative, not connecting. Instead of admitting the country was indeed sick and tired of the existing policies, this "guilt bait" stance was doubled down upon-alienating swing voters in the process.
The Foreign Policy Disconnect
Democrats also failed to capture the sentiment on foreign policy, especially the West Asia situation. Bringing Dick Cheney into their fold whose life is full of controversies surrounding military interventions did not aid in grabbing the votes of the anti-war base. Harris has assured a much more peaceful approach, but such an acrid messaging mismatch with historical connection could not work in favor of the voter still sceptical about global wars.
Policy Missteps on Immigration
At home, the Democrats' charge for "thick cosmopolitan" immigration, which presses Americans to be empathetic toward the victims of their country's previous acts in a foreign land, did not pan out. It seemed unscrupulous to many as the second-guessing election concern revealed itself to voters in one way-only worrying about economic and social considerations. Instead of empathy, many felt it was another ploy to make Americans feel guilty and support them.
It did not stop there. The tendency to brand people as racist or sexist created a landslide of backlash from the party. Collective guilt, an argument which many scholars postulate, tends to create defensiveness when placed on someone. Voters began to feel attacked for their very political views, which tended to look backward rather than forward. And thus by shaming voters, the Democrats inspired many to distance themselves from Harris's campaign rather than embrace it.
Lack of Substance
The Harris campaign discussed much more about slogans than solutions; in fact, it spent more money than the Trump campaign while offering people little, in terms of practical policy changes, to combat such pressing concerns as high inflation. Trump's team counted on the "selective memory" of Americans and emphasized the topics now before people's eyes, while Harris's team appealed to past grievances, which flew over the heads of those worrying about pressing problems.
A Mismatch Over National Identity
While Harris's camp pounded on the historical evils perpetrated by America, they did not leave an opening to make a positive affirmation of national identity. According to political observers, such a role would have left voters to process guilt positively. The campaign, however did worse by dwelling on historic mistakes without a forward-looking vision, leaving voters without any hopeful imagination of American progress. To most, it only hardened them away from Harris's campaign.
The Impact of Biden's Foreign Policy
Another significant message was that of an unwavering support for Israel from the Biden administration at a time when there are increasing demands, especially among the Democratic Party, for a more balanced position. This tough foreign policy posture created a chasm between leadership and the party's progressive wing, thereby virtually impossible to bring along unified support for Harris.
Blaming loss on misogyny only takes them so far. The campaign, for starters, was drenched in guilt-based messaging, failed to connect on core issues, and was not headed in the right direction. The party needs to remember these missteps if Democrats are to somehow win back voters in the near future.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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