The Democrats are in turmoil.
As I observed the finger-pointing and blame-shifting following Kamala Harris’s crushing defeat to Donald Trump, something became clear. Throughout her 107-day campaign, media coverage was overwhelmingly positive, portraying her as an inspiring figure who would unite the country. However, shortly after Trump was declared president-elect, a starkly different narrative emerged. Suddenly, Harris was being criticized for running a poor campaign, making mistakes, and failing to rise to the challenge. This shift raises an important question: Were the media covering up her struggles during the campaign, knowing she was faltering but choosing not to report it?
This situation brings to mind a similar dynamic with President Biden. For much of his presidency, he was seen as a competent leader, if lacking in flair. Despite some early concerns about his age and mental sharpness, White House officials and media outlets reassured the public that he was “sharp as a tack.” But during the debate, it became clear that Biden was struggling to form coherent sentences, and soon after, there were whispers that he might be pressured out of the race. Media figures then admitted that they had noticed his cognitive decline but had kept quiet about it. Some even revealed that White House insiders had expressed doubts about Biden running for re-election years earlier, but this information remained off the record. Once again, much of the press had covered for the president, much as they did for Harris.
This pattern of obfuscating the truth until it became inconvenient is a major reason for the media’s plummeting credibility. In both Harris’s and Biden’s cases, the press downplayed or ignored clear signs of trouble until it was no longer possible to do so. As the tension between the Harris and Biden camps intensifies, the media’s role in all this is being scrutinized. According to reports, many Democrats blame Biden for forcing Harris into a losing position, pointing to his age and low approval ratings as factors that hampered her chances. On the other hand, some of Harris’s supporters argue that her loss should be attributed to Biden, who created an environment too challenging for her to succeed.
Columnists have pointed out that Harris lacked a strong, distinctive political stance and failed to push back against portrayals of her as a liberal extremist. While some critics, including myself, argued that Harris was too cautious and failed to take risks, others highlighted her failure to stand out on key policy issues. One significant concern was the lack of coordination between Biden’s campaign team and Harris’s, which some insiders claim left her campaign struggling to align with the broader message. Ultimately, while the media failed to properly assess the appeal of Trump and the disconnect between Harris’s party and working-class voters, their optimistic portrayal of Harris when things were clearly going awry is one of the key missteps in this election cycle.
